With President Xi Jinping administering the oath of office, Chief Executive (CE) Fernando Chui Sai On, his five policy secretaries and several other principal officials were sworn in Saturday during a solemn inauguration ceremony of Macau’s new government, which also marked the 15th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese administration.
In addition, the members of the Executive Council (ExCo) were also sworn in with Chui administering the oath during the same ceremony, held at Macau Dome in Cotai.
About 1,500 people – including community leaders, businesspeople and lawmakers – attended the ceremony. They started arriving at the venue from 8:30 a.m. The ceremony began an hour later as Chui walked into the venue with Xi.
Chui was the first one to be sworn in, followed by the principal officials and ExCo members.
The principal officials are: Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan Hoi Fan, Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac, Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo Arrais do Rosário, Commissioner Against Corruption Cheong Weng Chon, Commissioner of Audit Ho Weng On, Police Commissioner Ma Io Kun, Macau Customs Director-General Lai Man Wa, and Public Prosecutor-General Ip Son Sang.
The ExCo members are: Sonia Chan, the council’s spokesman Leong Heng Teng, lawmakers Leonel Alberto Alves, Andrew Chan Chak Mo, Chan Meng Kam and Cheang Chi Keong, businessmen Liu Chak Wan, Alexandre Ma Iao Lai and Peter Lam Kam Seng, architect Eddie Wong Yue Kai ,and Macau Federation of Trade Unions (Gung Luen) Chairwoman Ho Sut Heng.
The ceremony ended at about 10:30 a.m. Xi then met the new principal officials and ExCo members, saying he hoped that they will soon be familiar with their new positions. He also met with representatives of mainland enterprises based in Macau.
Meanwhile, First Lady Peng Liyuan visited the Mandarin House accompanied by Chui’s wife Winnie Fok Wai Fun and Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Guilherme Ung Vai Meng.
Xi visited the University of Macau (UM) campus in Hengqin , where he was greeted by Lam, Tam and Rector Zhao Wei. They gave Xi a tour and Zhao spoke about the latest research going on in the UM’s laboratories.
Xi also met about two dozen students and talked about Chinese culture and literature. He stayed at the university for about an hour before heading to the airport to return to Beijing, with Chui, his wife, government officials and more than 200 primary school pupils there to see him and Peng off when they departed at about 5 p.m.(macaunews/macaupost)
