The newly appointed Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Bian Lixin, yesterday paid a courtesy call, after assuming office late last month, on Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon, where she acknowledged the good start made by the new term of the local legislature, according to a statement by the commissioner’s office yesterday.
The current, eighth term of the MSAR’s Legislative Assembly started on October 16 last year.
During yesterday’s meeting, according to the statement, Bian praised the local legislature for its important role in advancing the MSAR’s rule of law, ensuring the implementation of the city’s executive-led governance, and enhancing the MSAR’s governance effectiveness.
Bian underlined that the commissioner’s office will continue to spare no effort in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and vigorously support the Legislative Assembly in carrying out duties related to external affairs and engaging in external exchanges, with the aim of fostering a more favourable external environment for Macau’s prosperity and stability.
During yesterday’s meeting, according to the statement, Cheong welcomed Bian to her new role in Macau and expressed gratitude to the commissioner’s office for its guidance and assistance in the Legislative Assembly’s work related to external affairs.
Cheong pledged that the local legislature will further strengthen its communication and exchanges with the commissioner’s office, open up new horizons in the Legislative Assembly’s external connections, and leverage its unique strengths to tell the global community the good story of the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle with Macau characteristics.
Bian arrived in Macau to assume office on January 30, after the Central People’s Government announced on January 23 its decision to appoint Bian as the head of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the MSAR.
Apart from Cheong, Bian has already paid separate courtesy calls on Macau’s current Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai as well as his three predecessors – Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Fernando Chui Sai On and Ho Iat Seng.
Bian, a former head of the ministry’s Personnel Department, succeeded Liu Xianfa at the helm of the commissioner’s office. Liu concluded his five-year tenure in Macau on January 15, 2026.
Liu has meanwhile been appointed the central authorities’ special representative on African affairs.
The commissioner’s office is one of the three entities established by the central government based in Macau, alongside the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR and the local garrison of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon (right) poses for a photo with newly appointed Foreign Ministry Commissioner Bian Lixin in the legislature’s hemicycle on the sidelines of their meeting yesterday. – Photo: commissioner’s office
