Xi Jinping to meet Macau contenders
Vice-President Xi Jinping will begin his first Macau visit as a state leader on Saturday, during which he is tipped to meet the city's potential candidates for chief executive.
Analysts said preparation for the election would be the main focus of Mr Xi's two-day trip, while Hong Kong-listed casino shares soared on speculation that he might announce a relaxation of controls on mainlanders visiting the gambling hub.
Mr Xi, in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs, last visited the former Portuguese colony in January 2005 when he was the party boss of Zhejiang province .
Eilo Yu Wing-yat, assistant politics professor at the University of Macau, said Mr Xi would gauge the public's opinion on the chief executive candidates favoured by the central government.
'The central government probably has an idea about who should be the next chief executive,' Professor Yu said. 'It will consider public opinion before making a final decision.'
A new leader will be elected in the summer to replace Edmund Ho Hau-wah, who is to step down in December. A 300-member electoral committee is expected to be formed in March. It is commonly understood that a candidate must win the central government's favour to become the leader of Hong Kong or Macau.
Culture minister Fernando Chui Sai-on, executive councillor Ho Iat-seng, chief prosecutor Ho Chio-meng and finance minister Francis Tam Pak-yuen were all seen as contenders. But Ho Iat-seng this week surprised Macau by telling the press that he had no intention of running for the top job. No one has openly declared an interest in running.
A second aim of Mr Xi's visit would be to study how to formulate Macau policies that are different from those targeting Hong Kong, said Professor Yu. 'The central government has realised its Hong Kong policies may not fit in with Macau.'
Last month, the central government widened the individual visit scheme for mainlanders visiting Hong Kong, but Macau was left out.
Professor Yu said this illustrated the central government's attempt to formulate different policies for the two special administrative regions.
Three casino stocks - Galaxy Entertainment, Melco International Development and SJM Holdings - yesterday surged between 5.4 per cent and 13.5 per cent despite a fall in the Hang Seng Index.
Gaming analyst Zeng Zhonglu said there was a possibility Mr Xi would deliver good news.
'When state leaders come to Hong Kong or Macau, they often bring along gifts,' said Professor Zeng, of Macau Polytechnic Institute.
But he said it was unlikely Beijing would relax controls on Guangdong residents visiting Macau, tightened last year in an apparent bid to prevent civil servants gambling.
