MACAO, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese man Carlos Cid Alvares first visited Macao as a tourist in 1993. He was immediately captivated by the beauty of this tiny land in China then under Portuguese rule.

"The city was very simple, but the people were friendly," said Alvares, who nevertheless noticed Macao's lack of modern infrastructure.

When he settled down in Macao six years ago, it had been a special administrative region (SAR) of China for almost two decades. And Alvares found the changes quite striking.

"I saw incredible planning, execution, and a leap in knowledge," said Alvares, who is particularly taken by the city's infrastructure and its open, foreigner-friendly atmosphere.

Official figures show that Macao had over 176,000 locally employed non-residents by the end of 2023, over 20,000 more than the previous year. They mainly come from the mainland, Southeast Asia and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Macao is one of the safest places in the world and the culinary cultural blend in its restaurants is remarkable, said Alvares, now president of the Macao Delegation of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Macao has experienced remarkable transformation over the past 25 years under the "one country, two systems" policy, which enables it to maintain its capitalist system and way of life while being part of socialist China.

Alvares told Xinhua that he believes the "one country, two systems" policy is the key to Macao's success.

"It's a policy that offers consistency, allowing businesses to operate under familiar rules," he said, adding that certainty has been crucial in driving Macao's economic growth.

With the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Alvares is optimistic about Macao's future and frequently encourages foreign investors to view Macao as a gateway to the mainland.

"Macao may be small, but the potential of the Greater Bay Area is huge," he said. "So I never talk about the 700,000 residents in Macao. I talk about 80 million people in the Greater Bay Area."

"Macao is now on the map in ways it wasn't 25 years ago," Todd Lyle Sandel, an associate professor at the University of Macao (UM), echoed similar sentiments about the city's transformation.

"Back then, few people knew where Macao was, and it was often associated with crime. Now, that perception has completely changed."

Sandel, who joined UM in 2012, remembers the university's early years on Taipa Island.

After relocating to Hengqin, a neighboring island of Macao, the campus felt sparsely populated at first, but the change was dramatic. "Now, the campus is thriving with people from all over the world," he said.

He is particularly proud of Macao's rise in academia. UM now ranks among the top 200 universities globally, reflecting the city's growing international academic reputation.

Sandel also highlighted Macao's expanding cultural scene, pointing out that while often formerly dubbed the "Las Vegas of the East," the city now offers high-quality education, diverse entertainment, and a thriving dining scene.

"Before Macao's return to China, there was little interest from international investors," recalled Antonio Trindade, president and CEO of CESL Asia-Investments & Services Limited.

"But after the handover, everything changed quickly. The government's efforts and economic opening made a huge difference," Trindade told Xinhua.

He sees the "one country, two systems" policy as essential in sustaining his company's operations across China, Portugal, and beyond.

"The system allows for quick, flexible solutions, which create an environment full of opportunities for growth," he said.

Macao is listed as one of the richest places in the world. Compared with 1999, Macao's per capita GDP more than quadrupled to nearly 70,000 U.S. dollars in 2023.

Looking ahead, Trindade is excited about Macao's potential, particularly in new technologies like AI.

The Macao SAR government has put forward the strategy for appropriate economic diversification to build Macao into a world tourism and leisure center and develop its priority industries of big health, modern finance, high technology, exhibition and convention, as well as culture and sports.

In 2023, the Macao SAR government followed up on around a dozen investment plans on scientific and technological industries, and supported a batch of research fruits to commercialize.

"With government support and the region's economic momentum, Macao has limitless potential," Trindade said.