Sands China Holds Sharing Session on the Spirit of NPC and CPPCC

（Macao, March 26, 2025）– Sands China Ltd. hosted a seminar Wednesday at The Londoner Macao® on the Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) that were recently held in Beijing. Sands China management, other team members, and local youth, around 250 in total, gained insights into the nation’s development strategies, aiming to seize development opportunities such as those in the Greater Bay Area. The company also broadcast a live feed of the event at the heart-of-house area of its properties, with over 3,000 team members benefitting from the seminar remotely. 

Executive Vice Chairman of Sands China Ltd. Dr. Wilfred Wong moderated the event, and said: “The annual sharing session on the NPC and CPPCC is a highly anticipated international event, especially in this year that marks the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the transition to a critical period for further comprehensive deepening of reforms in the country, making it particularly significant. In light of this, Sands China places great importance on this year’s sharing session and is honoured to invite deputies to share the important messages conveyed during the Two Sessions to our team members. This allows participants to gain a deeper understanding of the national development strategies, fully seize the opportunities brought by the country’s development, and leverage and strengthen Macao’s advantages, thereby promoting the core values of patriotism and love for Macao.” 

The event, titled the Sands China Distinguished Speaker Forum Series – The Spirit of NPC and CPPCC, was led by five distinguished guests: Lao Ngai Leong, head of the Macao SAR delegation to the National People’s Congress and vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese; Ho King Lun, Macao deputy of the National People’s Congress and president of the Industry and Commerce Association of Macau; Lao Nga Wong, member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and president of the Association of Overseas Chinese of Macau; Ip Sio Kai, member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chairman of The Macau Association of Banks; and Dr. Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan, member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and rector of Macao University of Tourism.

Other guests of honour at the event included Sun Yaohua, director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, and Chio Pou Wai, head of the Division of Youth Development of the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.

Aside from Sands China’s management team, young participants of the company’s development programmes were among the attendees. On-site simultaneous English interpretation was provided to convey the spirit of the NPC and CPPCC for non-Chinese speakers. 

Speaking at the event, Lao Ngai Leong introduced the basic overview of the Third session of the 14th National People’s Congress and the key messages of the “Report on the Work of the Government.” He also noted that 12 deputies submitted 107 proposals on critical issues such as the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the Greater Bay Area, demonstrating strong support for Macao’s moderate economic diversification. He highlighted that the sessions emphasised proactive fiscal policy and the new “moderately loose” monetary policy, boosting confidence among foreign investors, private enterprises, and consumer spending, as well as improving livelihoods and investing in human capital. Lao urged all sectors of Macao to study in depth and implement the spirit of the Two Sessions, leverage their strengths, and align with national development priorities – in order to jointly advance the successful and enduring practice of “One Country, Two Systems” with Macao characteristics.   

Ho citied the 10 major tasks for 2025 outlined in the “Report on the Work of the Government” and highlighted the central government’s comprehensive support and high expectations for Macao across various sectors. For instance, this year’s National Games, the highest-level, largest-scale, and most influential comprehensive sporting event in the country, will be co-hosted for the first time by Hong Kong and Macao – an initiative of profound significance. This not only reflects the integration of the mainland with Hong Kong and Macao in sports, but also demonstrates the in-depth cooperation and development in economic, cultural and other fields – creating new opportunities and space for Macao’s moderate economic diversification. 

Lao Nga Wong shared his insights, stating that he believes the Two Sessions are not only a major event, but also a focal point of global attention. Against this backdrop, Macao is facing three challenges – accelerating integration between Hengqin and Macao, diversifying industries, and internationalising tourist sources. Concerning revitalisation, he discussed the opportunities and challenges of boosting community-based and industrial-financial economies. He stressed the importance of supporting upward mobility for youth, enhancing Macao’s role as a strategic platform in both domestic and international dual circulation, and speeding up the development of a modern tourism system. These efforts will help write a new chapter in Macao’s successful practice of “One Country, Two Systems.” 

Ip shared that the central government has set this year’s economic growth target at around 5 percent and introduced multiple policies and measures aimed at stabilising employment, preventing risk, and improving people’s livelihoods. These include more proactive fiscal policies, moderate accommodative monetary policies, and strengthening the people-centred orientation of macro policies. All sectors of Macao should further seize these opportunities, leverage the unique advantage of “backed by the motherland and connected to the world,” enhance the level of internationalisation and global appeal, promote the development of moderate economic diversification and play a better role in the country’s global integration. 

Vong stated that during the Two Sessions, President Xi Jinping fully acknowledged the significant contributions of educators in the construction of an educational powerhouse, and put forward new requirements for moral education. Macao should deeply consider how to advance with the times, promote the in-depth integration of industry, academia, and research, and cultivate talent who have both professional competence and moral integrity, are patriotic and love Macao. Simultaneously, local higher education institutions should continue to build an integrated cultural and tourism talent training system within the Greater Bay Area; they should utilise Macao’s advantages in tourism education and collaborate with mainland and international institutions to develop joint talent training programmes in related fields across the Greater Bay Area. 

The Sands China Distinguished Speaker Forum Series – The Spirit of NPC and CPPCC is part of Sands China’s ongoing effort to promote professionalism education and comprehensively strengthen employee knowledge of the business environment and national development – so as to make essential contributions to the development of Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure. Sands China has been committed to improving the professionalism of its team members company-wide through a variety of initiatives such as the distinguished speaker forum series, professional literacy training courses, Greater Bay Area visits, various professional exchange activities, and film screenings.