Beijing has moved to cement closer ties with Macao in various sectors, including economy and trade, culture, education and regional integration, after Premier Li Ke-qiang pledged support for the world's largest gaming city to diversify its casino-focused economy during his visit last week.

The two cities launched the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership Program on Thursday, with officials signing six cooperation agreements during the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair - one of the city's largest annual international economic and trade events.

The accords cover Beijing's promotion of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games and the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games to Macao people, Macao's participation in the 2019 Horticulture Expo in Beijing, research and innovation cooperation between companies in Zhongguancun and universities in Macao, as well as the strategic relations between the two cities in the services and education sectors.

"Implementing the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership Program meets the central government's demand to bolster collaboration between the two cities, and is also in line with the expectations of both peoples," Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun said at the program's launching ceremony.

He presented a three-point proposal to enhance the relationship between the two cities. The first is to deepen all-round cooperation, including cooperation between government departments, business communities and organizations, the media and social groups.

The second is to continuously expand new ground for cooperation. "Beijing and Macao are important cities in the Belt and Road Initiative and Macao is developing into a world tourism center and trade cooperation platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries, while Beijing is preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2019 Horticulture Expo. There's enormous potential for cooperation between us," Wang said.

The third proposal is to promote cultural exchanges. Both cities started an exchange program for young people for the first time this year. As of last month, 225 teenagers from Beijing and 1,047 from Macao have joined the program.

Wang said Beijing's total service trade value had surged 63 percent from 2010 to $130 billion this year. The actual use of foreign capital doubled from 2010 to $13 billion, and foreign investment has soared 12.5 times to $9.56 billion over the past six years.

According to Macao government statistics, the city's exports to the mainland in the first half of this year reached 893.65 million Macao patacas ($111.8 million) - up 4.4 percent from the same period in 2015 - while imports from the mainland plunged 21.7 percent during the same period to 12.35 billion Macao patacas.

cherrylin@chinadailyhk.com

The fl ag-raising ceremony held to mark the 15th anniversary of the Macao SAR at Golden Lotus Square in 2014. Macao can serve as a tourism center and trade cooperation platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries under the Belt and Road Initiative.Provided To China Daily

Macao SAR Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai-on (center) and Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun (seventh from left) celebrate the opening of the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair with o cials. The two sides have sealed six deals to boost cross-boundary cooperation.Provided To China Daily

(HK Edition 10/21/2016 page1)