In the third day of Edmund Ho Hau Wah's re-election campaign for the chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Monday, he had dialogs with owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

Ho said that the government should make better engagement in interactive activities with SMEs to better understand what they need, and hence make more favorable policies to encourage the SME development in Macao.

Ho's re-election campaign went into a full swing last Saturday, as he left his post temporarily to concentrate on his running for the second term.

Ho listened to propositions and complaints on the imbalance of the economic structure, the employment problems, the re-building of old urban district and moral education against mal-effect of the gaming industry, which were brought forward by SME owners.

Macao's economy has jumped on a fast track in recent years. However, SMEs have not benefited very much from the economy that is heavily depended on the gaming sector.

Ho said the second SAR government should pay more attentions to problems that have emerged along with the opening-up of the gaming market. He believed that the re-building of the old urban district would create business opportunities to SMEs.

He encouraged SMEs to take their bets in the tourist-related sectors, such as the retailing and catering industries.

Ho has garnered endorsement from a total of 297 members of a 300-strong Election Committee on his candidature nomination form for the chief executive running earlier last month, making him the sole candidate in the upcoming election, which is designated for Aug. 29.

Source: Xinhua