Award Ceremony for the “Public Security in My Heart” Essay Contest and Short Video Contest
Speech by Chief Executive and Chairman of the Macau National Security Committee, Sam Hou Fai
Today (April 15, 2025) marks the 10th National Security Education Day in our country. We are here to hold the grand opening ceremony of the “National Security Education Expo” 2025 and the award ceremony for the “Public Security in My Heart” essay contest and short video contest.
First, on behalf of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) government, I sincerely thank the central government for its strong support and guidance in co-hosting the “National Security Education Expo” and related activities with the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau. I also extend warm congratulations to the award-winning teachers and students of the essay and short video contests!
Last December, President Xi Jinping visited Macau to attend the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Macau ‘s return to the motherland and delivered a series of important speeches. He outlined three expectations for the development and construction of the Macau SAR and four hopes for the new government. He emphasised the need to “focus on maintaining social harmony and stability,” reminding us to remain vigilant in times of peace, prepare for the unforeseen, and effectively prevent various risks. We must steadfastly uphold national security and ensure stability in Macau , cherishing the currently hard-won peaceful environment. We should concentrate our efforts on economic development and construction, facilitating the realisation of residents’ aspirations for a better life. The president’s important remarks provide guidance for promoting social stability in Macau, ensuring high levels of security to foster high-quality economic development, and further integrating into the national development framework. We must thoroughly understand and implement these directives.
In the past year, with the care and leadership of the central government and the support and collective efforts of the people of Macau, the SAR government has continued to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for maintaining national security. It has successfully completed amendments to the “Chief Executive Election Law” and the “Legislative Assembly Election Law,” further implementing the principle of “patriots governing Macau “ from legal and enforcement perspectives. Simultaneously, aligned with the development positioning of “One Centre, One Platform, and One Base,” the Macau SAR has fully integrated with the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan, actively promoted “1+4” appropriate economic diversification, and effectively enhanced the development momentum and comprehensive strength of Macau ‘s economy. The level of public welfare has reached new heights, urban construction has shown new achievements, and integration into national development has opened new prospects. The infrastructure “hard connectivity” of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone, the “soft connectivity” of rules and mechanisms, and the “connectivity from the heart” of residents from Macau and Hengqin have all continuously improved, achieving phased results in the integrated development of Macau and Hengqin.
This year marks the 10th National Security Education Day and the eighth consecutive year that the SAR government and the Liaison Office are hosting the “National Security Education Expo.” The theme for this year’s exhibition is “National Security Education for All, Deepening and Consolidating for 10 Years,” allowing a wide range of Macau residents to reflect on the significant achievements made in national security work and its promotion and education in the new eras for both the nation and Macau. It emphasizes that maintaining national security is the responsibility and obligation of every resident, further consolidating the consensus and determination of all sectors of society in safeguarding national security. At the same time, we must remember President Xi Jinping’s earnest exhortations, seize new opportunities under “One Country, Two Systems,” and work together to create new brilliance.
Young students are the hope and future of Macau and vital forces in maintaining national security and social stability. In the “Public Security in My Heart” essay contest and short video contest, students depicted their profound understanding and earnest expectations regarding national security and social stability through words and images. They showcased a sense of responsibility and mission among Macau ‘s youth to contribute their strength to safeguarding national security and maintaining social stability.
This year marks the concluding year of the national 14th Five-Year Plan and the planning year for the 15th Five-Year Plan. It is also the inaugural year for the new SAR government’s administrative agenda and the beginning of the second phase of cooperation zone construction. At this crucial moment of transition, the SAR government will take the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important remarks during his inspection tour of Macau and the principles from the nation’s “Two Sessions” as fundamental guidelines for future development and governance. We will shoulder the important mission of practising “One Country, Two Systems” in the new era, promoting a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security. We aim to align Macau ‘s strengths with the nation’s needs, actively participate in the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), and earnestly advance the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone. We strive to achieve better development for Macau and demonstrate greater contributions in advancing the modernisation of China.
Distinguished guests and friends, as you are aware, recently the United States has announced the imposition of tariffs on all trading partners, including our country, under various pretexts, which has severely impacted the multilateral trade system centered around the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and undermined the stability of the global economic order. We are facing a dramatically changing external environment, and the risks and challenges are becoming increasingly complex and severe. While we further strengthen our confidence that our powerful motherland will lead the nation in overcoming all challenges and difficulties, we must deeply understand the importance of overall security, unwaveringly implement the overall national security concept, and further advance the systems, mechanisms, and legal frameworks for safeguarding national security in Macau. We must focus on managing our own affairs in the Macau SAR, concentrating our efforts on the development in the political, economic, and social fields, as well as external exchanges. We need to enhance our risk awareness, establish a strong bottom-line thinking, remain highly vigilant, comprehensively control, and prevent and resolve various hidden risks, especially to resolutely guard against and curb external forces’ interference and infiltration. We will firmly implement the principle of “patriots governing Macau”, ensuring the smooth conduct of the 8th Legislative Assembly election in Macau , and securing the stability and long-term peace of Macau society.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the central government for its strong support of the SAR government’s work, and I wish great success for this exhibition!
Thank you, everyone!
N.B. Translation of the slightly abridged speech from the Chinese into the English language arranged by The Macau Post Daily
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses the 2025 National Security Education Exhibition at the Forum Macao complex in Nam Van yesterday. – Photo: GCS
