Macau Business | June 2023 | Special Report | Macau – Hong Kong | So near, so far
Side by Side (Back-to-Back)
The relationship between China’s two special administrative regions has often been referred to as one of ‘a tale of two cities’. At first glance, they appear similar but are conspicuously divergent. So near, yet so far.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 62 kilometres that separate the two cities seemed like a bridge too far. However, with the post-pandemic reopening in January, it was heart-warming to see the enthusiasm of visitors from Hong Kong returning to the once ‘sleepy enclave’ now thriving gaming/tourism hub. Likewise, Macau residents returning to the neighbouring SAR were excited about experiencing again the big city feeling across the Delta.
Weeks into the reopening, the Chiefs Executive of the two SARs visited each other’s cities in late February/early March, signalling the impetus for (re)connecting and enhancing not only cooperation but also coordination, which was significantly impacted by the pandemic.
At the end of the day, it is a fact that Macau still depends on Hong Kong in several sectors, such as currency, the international airport, and certain medical facilities. However, since the resumption of the exercise of Chinese sovereignty, Macau has become increasingly reliant on the mainland.
This would explain why the two SARs have lived not only side-by-side but also ‘back-to-back’. However, the truth is that this has always been the case, both before and after the 1999 handover.
Over the span of the first two decades, the tables have turned to some extent. If this article had been written 20 years ago, it could have been titled “Rich Man, Poor Man”, in reference to the famous novel by Irvin Shaw, where a rich brother and a poor brother are the protagonists. Today, it no longer makes sense to say that Macau is the “poor brother”.
Furthermore, the two SARs share not only the same constitutional arrangement but also their participation in the “9+2” Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, alongside nine cities in the neighbouring province.
As the two cities enjoy the momentum of (re)connecting, Hong Kong remains both near and far.
PS – Is there still room for some kind of rivalry? Those who follow the Macau Grand Prix races know that Macau spectators are thrilled when local drivers beat those from the neighbouring region…
Coordinated by João Paulo Meneses [email protected]
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