In recent years, against the grim economic backdrop brought by the international financial crisis and European sovereign debt crisis, Macau's economy has taken on a strong growth momentum, becoming the most noticeable area in China and even the world as a whole, attributes to the consistent policies supporting the opening of gambling license to the market and facilitating DIY Tours for Chinese mainland visitors, etc.. In the mean time, with the economic driving force from the service industry, while taking big strides toward an aspiring social formation characterized by high economic growth rate, high social welfare benefits and high income, Macau is also further deepening economic integration with Chinese mainland and its surrounding areas, paying a lot more attention to regional competition, complementation and cooperation. However, while reflecting on its efforts in promoting regional resources integration and coordinated development, Macau is meeting new challenges as it is to grow from a relatively isolated small city with blending Chinese and western culture to a Hong Kong-like metropolitan city with regional or even international influence. In face of the coming round of regional integration, Macau's response to the question of what role the unique Macau culture plays will not only embody Macau culture itself which defines Macau as a well-known historic city with its regional characteristics, but also reflect Macau's unavoidable choice in future as to the two options: to be part of the integration process together with its own features or to allow assimilation.
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