22nd Handover Anniversary | Ho Iat Seng pledges safeguards for national security

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has pledged that Macau will continue to build and refine legal systems and enforcement mechanisms safeguarding national security, as well as continuing to push forward on its construction and development projects.

Ho was speaking at a flag-raising ceremony and reception to mark the 22nd anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland and the establishment of the Macau SAR.

Ho stated that the Macau SAR government will implement the targets and tasks set out in the policy address for 2022 and in its second five-year plan (2021-2025). In doing so, it will promote steady economic recovery while consolidating epidemic control, speeding up appropriate economic diversification, and better integrating into the country’s overall development, Ho said.

He also pledged continuous efforts towards optimizing works related to people’s livelihood, and the advancement of construction of the Guangdong-Macau in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin.

According to Ho, throughout the past year of pandemic-prevention work and economic recovery processes, the citizens of Macau “never gave up supporting and cooperating with the government.”

Some 940 guests attended the reception, including: Ho Hau Wah, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Fu Ziying, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; and Liu Xianfa, commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the region.

Prior to the reception, a flag-raising ceremony was held at the Golden Lotus Square. The delegation of the mainland Olympians, who are in Macau for a three-day visit, also attended the ceremony.

“I’m very proud to be here to celebrate the anniversary together with our Macau compatriots,” said table tennis Grand Slam winner Ma Long. “It means a lot to me.”

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison of the Macau SAR also held a flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning. LV

Categories Macau