A former senior judge in Macao has been chosen as the next leader of the gambling outpost, in a move that appears to signal a further shift in line with Chinese policy.
Sam Hou Fai will assume office in December, following an unopposed ‘ceremonial’ election on Sunday when 394 of the entire 400-member selection committee gave him their backing.
Sam, 62, was the sole candidate in the process but his background represents a notable juncture.
He was president of Macao’s highest court for more than 20 years and the shift toward a chief executive from outside the Chinese territory’s traditional business community is significant.
Sam will also be the first Macao leader born on the Chinese mainland, as the former Portuguese colony prepares for change.
The shift in the city’s leadership from the gambling and business community to a figurehead drawn from the legal professional will come with efforts to diversify its economy away from reliance on the gambling market.
There is an expectation that Beijing’s policy agenda for Macao will be prioritized, with the government office responsible for the city, as well as Hong Kong, describing Sam as a ‘patriot’.
The regime has talked up his appointment in what appears to be a deliberate placement after the former justice previously railed against the “wild” expansion of the gambling sector.
Sam Hou Fai, who was elected by an overwhelming majority as the sixth-term chief executive designate of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Sunday, pledging to unwaveringly implement the "one country, two systems" policy. https://t.co/W3hvCrujBE pic.twitter.com/mw7eeA2kCp
— CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) October 13, 2024
Moving beyond reliance on the gambling sector
Macao was heavily impacted by the pandemic due to its reliance on gambling tourism when Chinese controls on movement impeded its operations. Since 2021, the Beijing government has increased its influence and legislation on the gambling mecca to crack down on the flow of capital through the special administrative region.
Macao is the only location in China where gambling is legal.
The government is looking toward Las Vegas which is also seeking to expand its reach beyond betting. Conventions and exhibitions are seen as an adaptable source of revenue for Macao, but it will need to make huge strides to become less reliant on a 35% gaming tax.
It also has to contend with growing regional competition from the likes of the Philippines and Singapore.
Image credit: Via Pexels
