President Xi Jinping has met this afternoon with Sam Hou Fai, who was elected chief executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) by a 400-member election committee on October 13 and appointed by the Central People's Government on October 25. The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Witnessed by Xi, Premier Li Qiang presented Sam with a decree of the State Council appointing the latter as the sixth-term chief executive of the MSAR. Sam is scheduled to be sworn in on December 20 in Macau, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the MSAR.
Xi congratulated Sam, 62, on his appointment, and commended him for holding a firm stance of loving the country and Macao, conscientiously fulfilling his duties, and making contributions to Macao's prosperity and stability during his long tenure as the president of Macau's Court of Final Appeal (TUI). "In the election, you were nominated and elected by an overwhelming majority, which demonstrates the broad recognition and support from Macau's society. The central authorities fully acknowledge this and have full trust in you," Xi said.
- Xinhua, MPD
Caption: President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Macau's incoming chief executive Sam Hou Fai at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing this afternoon. - Xinhua