Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng led senior officials in observing three-minutes of silence while sirens wailed and government vessels and vehicles sounded their horns as Macao mourned the passing of former president Jiang Zemin yesterday.
A memorial meeting for Jiang was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday morning. President Xi Jinping delivered the eulogy.
Ho headed a delegation of government officials to watch at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex a relay of the live broadcast of the memorial meeting, and to observe a three-minute silent tribute to the late leader, who passed away in Shanghai last Wednesday, aged 96.
The chief executive’s delegation consisted of more than 260 officials, including principal officials, members of the Executive Council, and bureau directors.
Deputies to the Legislative Assembly, as well as judges, public prosecutors and other Judiciary staff members also watched the live broadcast and observed the three-minute silence.
Jiang, oversaw Macao’s reversion from Portuguese to Chinese administration and the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in December 1999. Jiang paid an inspection visit to Macao the following year.
All national and regional flags were flown at half-mast yesterday at public buildings, including offices of the MSAR outside the city such as in Beijing, Lisbon and Brussels.
All entertainment and celebratory activities organised or funded by the government that had been scheduled for yesterday were suspended.
A large number of local community and business associations and civic organisations as well as schools and tertiary education institutions organised their own events to watch the memorial meeting and to pay tribute to Jiang.
