The Chief Executive of Macau, Sam Hou Fai, emphasized today that the dominance of the executive branch over the legislative and judicial branches is crucial for “ensuring social stability and the economic development of the territory.”
Speaking at the Macau’s Legislative Assembly to answer lawmakers’ questions, the head of government asserted that this system of executive led governance has been highly beneficial to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of local administration since the transition from Portuguese to Chinese rule.
According to the Chief Executive, Macau’s economy maintained a stable and positive trajectory during the first half of the year, complemented by a harmonious social environment. Sam Hou Fai noted that in the first quarter, Macau’s Gross Domestic Product ($GDP$) reached 107.5 billion patacas (11.39 billion euros), representing a real year-on-year growth of 7.1% and recovering to 90.3% of the levels recorded in 2019.
Furthermore, public tax revenue from January to May totaled 49.68 billion patacas (5.26 billion euros), while financial reserves hit 697.3 billion patacas (73.87 billion euros) by the end of April, alongside a low overall unemployment rate of 1.8% between February and April.
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The concept of executive dominance is a political cornerstone heavily backed by Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping previously highlighted the principle during the presentation of Sam Hou Fai’s work report in Beijing, emphasizing its necessity in safeguarding the constitutional order of both Macau and Hong Kong.
Additionally, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Work Office of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, explicitly stated to the local legislature that the relationship between the executive and legislative branches cannot be viewed through the Western lens of the separation of powers.
“We must build a better dialogue between the executive and legislative branches, especially regarding the public administration reform that local authorities aim to achieve by 2029,” Sam Hou Fai stated.
After more than 400 years under Portuguese administration, Macau became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on December 20, 1999.
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Under the “one country, two systems” framework, the territory was granted a high degree of autonomy for a 50-year period across its executive, legislative, and judicial branches, while the Chinese central government retained responsibility for foreign affairs and defense. Sam Hou Fai’s current push for executive efficiency includes an ongoing restructuring of the public sector, which has already seen the reorganization of six civil service departments.
Macau currently employs approximately 34,000 civil servants, reflecting a reduction of about 4,000 employees since its peak in 2020 when the workforce exceeded 38,000.
However, the Chief Executive reassured lawmakers that this administrative overhaul does not aim to eliminate jobs or downsize arbitrarily. He emphasized that the government is operating under two fundamental principles: a strict ban on layoffs and a guarantee that salary conditions and benefits for existing workers will not be reduced.
