This year’s “Two Sessions,” the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have concluded in Beijing recently. As a Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Ms. Pansy Ho, our Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director, attended the meetings and engaged in in-depth consultations and discussions. She put forward proactive suggestions and insights on topics including integrating Hong Kong and Macao into national development strategies and fostering the integrated development of culture, sports, and tourism.

This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The outline of the National 15th Five-Year Plan includes a dedicated chapter on Hong Kong and Macao, providing a clear roadmap for their long-term development. Ms. Pansy Ho noted that within this national strategic blueprint, greater emphasis and higher expectations have been placed on Hong Kong and Macao. The two Special Administrative Regions should leverage their unique advantages — such as internationalized rules and status as international financial hub — to align with the nation’s strategic needs and contribute to national development.

Drawing on the distinct strengths of Hong Kong and Macao, Ms. Pansy Ho put forward several proposals tailored to the development of the cultural and tourism industries. Building on the valuable experience of the 15th National Games jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, she suggested that the three parties should deepen cross-border collaboration in “events + tourism” and explore models integrating “culture + technology.” She also emphasized giving full play to Hong Kong and Macao’s unique advantage as a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, leveraging the technological innovation capabilities of the Greater Bay Area to empower the preservation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture. This includes bolstering the branding of intangible cultural heritage and promoting Chinese culture, such as Dunhuang culture to the world, while building bridges for multicultural international exchanges. These proposals align closely with the national vision for high-quality development in the cultural tourism industry and are highly consistent with the development strategies of our Group’s transportation and cultural tourism businesses.

To align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, the Hong Kong SAR government is formulating its first five-year plan, while the Macao SAR government is working on its third. Shun Tak Group will continue to embed its business development into the national development landscape and seize these strategic opportunities. By continuously implementing the “tourism+” development strategy and leveraging our accumulated resources and advantages in transportation, cultural tourism, and other sectors, we will help expand the global reach of Chinese culture and drive the collaborative upgrading of the cultural and tourism industries.

（Photo credit: China News Service）