President Xi Jinping will arrive in Macau on Friday for a two-day visit to attend celebrations marking the 15th anniversary of Macau’s return to Chinese sovereignty, Xinhua reported Sunday, citing the central government.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will also be present at the inauguration ceremony of the Macau Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR) fourth-term government, Xinhua said.
On December 20, 1999, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macau. While China had not exercised its sovereignty over Macau in the run-up to the handover, Portugal had unilaterally relinquished its sovereignty claims shortly after its anti-colonial Carnation Revolution of 1974. The 1999 change in administration is known as “huigui” in Putonghua. The term denotes the return of something to its rightful owner.
The Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) officially announced Xi’s visit Sunday.
Official sources told The Macau Post Daily that Xi will the guest of honour at a welcome banquet hosted by the local government on Friday evening at Macau Dome in Cotai where he will also attend a variety show at night. On Saturday morning, Xi will attend the MSAR’s 15th anniversary ceremony and swearing-in of the principal officials of the MSAR’s fourth government at Macau Dome.
Xi, then the nation’s vice-president, visited Macau on January 10-11, 2009, coinciding with the global financial crisis.
Xi at that time said that in order to achieve all-round, co-ordinated and sustainable economic growth, Macau should pursue “appropriately diversified” development. He also called on local society to maintain social harmony and stability amid the global financial crisis at that time to ensure economic development and a happy life for Macau people.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On said Sunday he was very happy that the central government showed its trust in him by appointing him as the chief executive of the fourth-term MSAR government.
Chui, who made the remarks on the sidelines of Sunday morning’s annual charity march organised by the Chinese-language Macao Daily News newspaper, promised to abide by the Macau Basic Law when carrying out his duties as the city’s head of government during the next five years.
Chui’s second five-year term begins on Saturday.
President Hu Jintao visited Macau five years ago when the city celebrated the 10th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule. The beginning of Chui’s first term coincided with Hu’s visit. (macaunews/macaupost)
