On 15 April, the Commissioner of Audit, Ho Veng On, met with the Auditor-General of the China National Audit Office (CNAO), Hou Kai, in Beijing to exchange opinions on the construction of audit informatization, concurrent audit related to the implementation of policies, auditor training, regional cooperation and promotion of exchanges with audit institutions in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Ho Veng On thanked the IT Center and the CNAO Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office for their support in the work of upgrading the Auditor Office during the epidemic last year, and thus the relevant system could pass the acceptance test and put into operation in March as scheduled. Ho Veng On also introduced the work of CA in recent years and hoped that CA will learn from the precious experience of CNAO in conducting concurrent audit related to the implementation of policies, in order to carry out audit supervision steadily and assist in the accurate implementation of major policies of Macao SAR.

Hou Kai welcomed the delegation of CA and pointed out that the audit work, especially the personnel training and the construction of audit informatization, play an important role in promoting good governance. Therefore, auditors should keep pace with the times. In addition to have the basic inspection skill to meet the needs of current development, they should enhance their abilities through continuous learning and learn about the Government’s development path, with a view to doing their best in concurrent audit related to the implementation of policies and strengthening project management. He emphasized that CNAO will fully support whatever that is in the interest of CA and provide assistance as far as possible.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the need for auditor training in the future and its feasibility. CA expected that it can send staff to join the online or onsite course held by CNAO according to the actual situations of this year. Ho Veng On indicated that government auditing is facing new situations and challenges with the promotion of regional cooperation. For commencing the relevant work properly, it will be necessary to strengthen communication through audit practices seminar, thematic training, etc., and make more beneficial attempt, in order to jointly promote the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the high quality development in auditing. The Deputy Auditor-General of CNAO, Qin Boyong, the Director-General of Department of Public Finance Audit, Wei Qiang, the Director-General of the CNAO Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office, Jiang Haiying and the Director of IT Center, Yang Li also attended the meeting.

Accompanied by the Director-General of Department of Electronic Data Audit, Shao Yongchun, Ho Veng On visited the informatization facilities of CNAO, learning about the progress of the “Golden Audit Project’ implemented since 2002 as well as the experience in developing and managing the big data applied to government auditing, and discussing the latest technologies on relevant issues in order to do research and preparation for the next stage of development.

During his stay in Beijing, Ho Veng On visited the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and met with the Deputy Director, Deng Zhonghua, to introduce the audit work, the development of computer-assisted audit and the training of audit team.

The CA delegation also visited the exhibition entitled “The Great Journey: the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China” at the Capital Museum of China, with a view to deepening the understanding of history and remembering the original mission and responsibilities.