Macao must deepen cooperation with the Chinese mainland, especially in regard to cooperation with the pilot free trade zone in neighboring Guangdong Province, according to a national political advisor from the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Thursday in Beijing.

Chan Kam Meng, vice-chairman of the Macao Federation of Trade Unions and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

Macao, with a small land area, is famous for the gambling industry, but heavy dependence on a single sector is not healthy, said Chan Kam Meng, vice-chairman of the Macao Federation of Trade Unions and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) that provides advice to the nation's top legislative body, the National People's Congress (NPC).

There is huge potential for Macao's cooperation with Hengqin in the development of the finance, marine economy and service sectors, Chan suggested.

Enjoying close relations with Portuguese-speaking countries (derived from its past as a Portuguese colony), Macao can play a positive role in the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, he said.

Last December, the central government announced that an 85-square-kilometer sea area was added to the administration of the Macao SAR government, so as to promote the development of its marine economy and tourism.

To cope with the needs in diversified development and future cooperation with the mainland, the University of Macao opened a new campus on Hengqin island in 2013.