Macau to see ‘grand but simple’ silver jubilee

As the SAR will mark its 25th Anniversary next year, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said that the government will comply with the principle of celebrating in a “grand but simple” fashion.

Emphasizing that next year’s celebratory events are still being planned, Ho promised these events will not be “extravagant nor wasteful.”

Ho was speaking on the sidelines of the reception to mark the 24th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland on Wednesday

He said the government would not spend a lot of money because it is still financially constrained. The budget will be compiled based on the scale of the events for the 20th Anniversary.

It is too early to discuss whether national leaders will visit Macau for the occasion, Ho said, adding this is not something the local government can control. However, he hopes national leaders will visit Macau.

Following his refusal to comment on the matter at the Policy Address press conference, he again declined to say if he will run in the coming Chief Executive Election. He said announcements will be forthcoming when he has made a decision.

Macau on Wednesday held a flag-raising ceremony and a reception to mark the 24th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland.

Ho recalled how in the past year Macau had improved its legal systems and enforcement mechanisms on safeguarding national security, stepped up administration over the gaming industry in accordance with the law, compiled Macau’s first comprehensive and systematic development plan on appropriate economic diversification, and made new achievements in advancing building of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, neighboring Zhuhai city.

In the coming year, Ho said the SAR government will firmly safeguard national security and social stability, and speed up the implementation of major tasks and projects listed in the economic diversification plan to build Macau 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.

Efforts will also be made to speed up the building of the in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, promote high-quality economic development, fully leverage Macau’s advantages to better integrate into overall national development, Ho said.

Over 1,000 guests attended the reception, including Ho Hau Wah, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR, and Liu Xianfa, commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macau SAR.

Before the reception, around 520 government officials and other guests attended the flag-raising ceremony.