"MACAU’S STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING MART CITY POLICY: A STUDY OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MACAU CITIZENS

This dissertation explores how smart city strategies are being used in Macau, focusing on what everyday citizens think about them. It explores both the positive aspects and the problems with how these policies are being put into action. While the Macau government has introduced several digital services. For example, the Macau One Account, electronic payments, and smart transport systems. There are many people who feel there’s a gap between technology and how well it actually includes everyone. The research is based on a close look at government plans (like the Macau SAR Five- Year Plan 2016–2020) and interviews with people from different age groups. Using a method of analyzing themes in the data, the study found that younger and middle- aged people generally find these tools useful and convenient. However, older adults often struggle because they aren’t as comfortable with smart city services and don’t get enough support. Also, even though the government says it welcomes public input, most people said they weren’t really involved in decisions, showing that the process is mostly top-down. The study points out some big challenges, like digital inequality, lack of public participation, and a mismatch between what policies aim for and what people actually need in daily life. It suggests making smart city planning more inclusive by offering digital tools in multiple languages, involving citizens in budgeting decisions, and providing digital training for those who need it. Overall, it argues that smart city development should focus more on fairness, access, and building public trust to truly improve urban life in a lasting and meaningful way.