Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HONGKONG189
2009-01-30 07:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

HONG KONG/MACAU: HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION ON

Tags:  PGOV PREL HK MC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8819
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHHK #0189/01 0300744
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 300744Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6787
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000189 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2034
TAGS: PGOV PREL HK MC
SUBJECT: HONG KONG/MACAU: HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION ON
STRENGTHENING TIES

Classified By: Consul General Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4 (B,D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000189

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2034
TAGS: PGOV PREL HK MC
SUBJECT: HONG KONG/MACAU: HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION ON
STRENGTHENING TIES

Classified By: Consul General Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary: Despite their common colonial past, shared
dialect and geographic proximity, Hong Kong and Macau until
recently have had minimal high-level official interaction.
With Macau's until-recent dynamic economic expansion now
putting it on a more equal (and competitive) footing with
Hong Kong, the two Special Administrative Regions have begun
to formalize their strong, but informal, working-level ties
and to explore new areas for cooperation. Since late 2007,
the two governments have established formal mechanisms for
regular high-level exchanges and sustained working-level
collaboration in 16 key areas. End summary.

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Formal Mechanisms In Place
--------------


2. (C) To our knowledge, neither Chief Executive (CE) has
ever visited the other Special Administrative Region (SAR) in
his official capacity. However, Hong Kong Constitutional and
Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) Assistant Secretary Christina
Chong, responsible for Hong Kong's relations with Macau, told
us CEs Donald Tsang and Edmund Ho do discuss issues of mutual
concern directly. Local media have not covered these
below-the-radar exchanges, tacitly reinforcing the public
perception that the two CEs have little in common. CE Tsang
is a British-trained civil servant from a modest background,
while CE Ho hails from a wealthy and prominent family of
"patriotic businessmen." English-language Macau Post Daily
director Harald Bruning (protect) contends the two leaders
likely only interact when they are instructed by Beijing to
collaborate on specific initiatives, such as joint
development of the Pearl River Delta.


3. (SBU) The two SARs agreed in November 2007 to establish a
strategic-level dialogue chaired by Hong Kong's Financial
Secretary John Tsang and Macau's Secretary for Economy and
Finance Francis Tam, which held its first session in June

2008. The November 2007 meeting also proposed a
working-level exchange between relevant agencies in 16 key
areas, which was formalized in February 2008 under the
overall coordination of Hong Kong's CMAB and Macau's Office
of the Chief Executive.


4. (C) The 16 areas for cooperation encompass:

a. Law enforcement;
b. Immigration;
c. Tourism and conventions;
d. Cross-boundary ferry service;
e. Cross-boundary infrastructure;
f. Taxation arrangements;
g. District administration;
h. Civil service training;
i. Employment and professional exchange;
j. City planning;
k. Cultural heritage protection;
l. Environmental protection;
m. Culture and sport;
n. Public hygiene and medical care;
o. Education and training; and
p. Social welfare.

Current training exchanges focus primarily on Macau learning
from Hong Kong. CMAB's Chong told us Hong Kong's civil
service has trained more than 100 Macau government "trainers"
to help Macau raise the quality of its civil service. Macau
law enforcement also is increasingly looking to their more
experienced Hong Kong counterparts for training in fighting
human and narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

--------------
Two Systems, One Destination
--------------


5. (SBU) Immigration and tourism are two areas in which the
SARs are working to lower barriers for their mutual benefit.
To encourage more inter-SAR travel, Hong Kong's Secretary for
Security recently announced that starting in mid-2009, Hong
Kong will no longer require Macau residents to complete
arrival/departure notification forms. Hong Kong will also
extend the limit of stay from 14 days to 180 days for Macau
permanent residents and to 30 days for non-permanent
residents. Macau is expected to reciprocate.


6. (SBU) On tourism, the two SARs and Guangdong have formed
the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau Tourism Marketing
Organization to jointly promote one-trip, multi-destination
itineraries for long-haul travelers by highlighting the

HONG KONG 00000189 002 OF 002


unique characteristics of the three locales. Hong Kong is
promoted as a sightseeing, shopping and dining capital, and
Macau highlights its World Heritage, gaming and entertainment
facilities. Guangdong touts its world-class golfing in
Zhuhai and Shenzhen. For the two SARs, this collaboration
could help them reach a larger overseas market and reduce
their reliance on short-haul visitors.
DONOVAN