Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Macau Hu Zhengyue reaffirmed Thursday that no external interference in the upcoming legislative elections will be allowed.
Hu gave the warning on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year reception for local media held at his office in Zape.
Hu said that the Legislative Assembly polls slated for September 15 were an important event for Macau this year, something that the central government would be paying special attention. He was quick to add that concerning the elections the commission would do what the central government expected it to do – to protect nation’s sovereignty, security and interests.
“The elections are the [Macau] Special Administrative Region’s own matter, but they will be met with all sorts of influences, even interference,” Hu was quoted by The Macau Post Daily as saying, vowing that as in any other situation, the commissionwill not allow external interference in Macau’s internal affairs, especially when they are sensitive issues such as political development.
“We are confident, prepared and have the capability to handle it well,” Hu said.
Hu also said that as Macau was becoming more and more “international”, which was a positive thing for the city, this also resulted in a string of challenges. He added that the commission would assist the local government in opening up connections and co-operation abroad, improving the city’s international influence and pushing economic diversification to turn the city into a world tourism and leisure hub.
Hu also said that he reads local newspapers and watches local news programmes every day. He praised local journalists for their “strong professionalism and high sense of social responsibility,” as well as their commitment to “introducing in an objective and fair manner China’s peaceful development, its reform and opening-up and its foreign policy and diplomatic achievements.”
Hu also said what local journalists “have done has increased the understanding of Macau society about China’s development and diplomatic work and facilitated China’s exchanges and co-operation with all the other countries.”
The senior diplomat also said that the commission “will work with our friends from the press and all other sectors of Macau and make joint efforts to safeguard [China’s] sovereignty, security and development interests and advance Macau’s prosperity and stability.” (macaunews)
