President arrives for 3-day inspection tour
Two days before the 25th Anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland tomorrow, President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived in Macau by special aircraft at about 4 p.m. yesterday, marking the beginning of his three-day inspection visit to the city.
This is Xi’s first visit to Macau in five years. Apart from inspecting Macau, he will attend today a raft of events celebrating the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland, including this evening’s gala dinner and variety show at the Macao East Asian Dome in Cotai, as well as the inauguration ceremony of Macau’s sixth-term government tomorrow morning.
Having been welcomed on board the aircraft by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng and his wife, Cheng Soo Ching, Xi and his wife stepped off the plane at 4:27 p.m. where they were greeted by Chief Executive-designate Sam Hou Fai, National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Vice President Edmund Ho Hau Wah; the director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Zheng Xincong; and the commissioner of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Commission in the MSAR, Liu Xianfa.
The airport apron was covered with a red a carpet and a podium set up, with about 500 locals, including primary and secondary school and university students and youth representatives from all walks of life, waving national flags and Macau regional flags to warmly welcome the arrival of Xi and his wife.
Xi and Peng accepted flowers from two children, a boy and a girl, and hugged them, and they also waved at residents standing nearby.
Flanked by Ho and Sam, as well as Zeng and the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong, Xi made an arrival statement at the airport, extending his sincere greetings and best wishes to all Macau residents, while also underlining that “Macau is a pearl in the palm of the motherland”.
‘Very happy to come to beautiful Macau’
In his speech, Xi first expressed his impression of the city, saying that “every time I come to the beautiful city of Macau, I feel very happy”, and he also hailed Macau’s world-recognised success in the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle: “Over the past 25 years, the practice of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle with Macau’s characteristics has achieved a world-recognised success, which has demonstrated vitality and a unique appeal”.
In his statement, Xi elaborated on the purpose of his visit, which was not only to “celebrate the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland together with the Macau compatriots”, but also to inspect Macau’s new developments and changes over the past few years: “In the next few days, I will go around, have a look around, and have extensive and in-depth exchanges with our friends from all walks of life, and discuss plans for Macau’s development”.
In his three-minute statement Xi also expressed his expectations for Macau, stressing that “the rejuvenation of the nation is unstoppable, and the prospect of Macau’s development is promising…As long as we give full play to the institutional advantages of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle, and have the courage to work hard and innovate, Macau will certainly create a better tomorrow”.
Xi left the airport in a Red Flag limousine.
According to previous news reports, during his tenure as president, Xi has visited Macau three times, in 2014, 2019 and this year, each time coinciding with the formal start of a new local government, where he attended each time its inauguration and presided over the swearing-in ceremony.
During his visit in December 2019, Xi, accompanied by then chief executive Fernando Chui Sai On, went to the Government Services Centre in Areia Preta and visited a local school to interact with local residents, teachers and students, among other activities.
President Xi Jinping delivers a brief statement upon his arrival at the local airport yesterday. – Photos: Yuki Lei
Xi Jinping (left, front) and his spouse Peng Liyuan (right, front) greet local students, with Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (left, behind), his wife Cheng Soo Ching (right, behind) and Chief Executive-designate Sam Hou Fai (unseen behind Ho) following the president and his wife.
