Central People’s Government Liaison Office Director Zheng Xiaosong told a Spring Festival reception yesterday that his office will cooperate with any Macau people as long as they “acknowledge the nation” and respect the powers held by the central government in accordance with the nation’s Constitution and the Macau Basic Law.
Zheng also called for Macau’s civil society to continue to promote the “Macau Spirit”, namely loving the country and Macau, favouring harmonious relationships with other people, as well as being pro-active while adopting a pragmatic approach towards dealing with problems.
The reception hosted by the office took place at Macau Tower, with about 2,000 people attending, including Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On, senior local government officials, lawmakers, Executive Council members, representatives of the Office of the Foreign Ministry Commissioner and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau Garrison, foreign consuls accredited to Macau, as well as local community leaders.
The office said on its website last night that yesterday’s reception was attended by the highest number of people ever.
Chinese New Year is officially known in the mainland as Spring Festival.
Zheng said that despite having taken up office for about four months, he already felt the complementarities between Macau and the mainland for social development as well as the prospects for Macau to maintain its long-term prosperity and stability, adding that he was impressed by the city’s “beauty” and its “cosy” environment.
Zheng pledged that the central government will not forget Macau people’s sense of belonging to the country and their contributions to national development and charitable activities.
Zheng noted that Macau provided 5.5 billion patacas for reconstruction after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. He also said that, according to preliminary statistics, various segments of Macau’s civil society donated 300 million patacas last year to the mainland for various charitable causes such as poverty alleviation projects, education and medical services.
In his speech, Zheng also listed various measures taken by the central government to support the city’s development since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in 1999. He also noted the central government’s approval after the local government’s request for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau Garrison to participate in the city’s relief work after Macau was battered by Super Typhoon Hato last year.
Zheng also said that the central government’s various support measures, the PLA local garrison’s participation in the post-Hato relief work and the assistance provided by a number of mainland authorities after the typhoon demonstrate that the motherland is always there to give strong backing to Macau.
Zheng said the enormous achievements in Macau’s development since its return to the motherland have proved that the “one country, two systems” principle is the best “institutional arrangement” for Macau to maintain its long-term prosperity and stability.
Zheng said that the full and accurate implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle is in the interest of Macau residents and the interest of the country.
Zheng also noted the city’s solid tradition of loving the country and Macau as well as Macau people’s strong sense of belonging to the country. He said that “there is no market” in Macau for any rejection of the “one country, two system” concept and for any attempt to undermine the city’s stability.
Zheng said he is sure that the various segments of Macau’s civil society will “organically” combine the upholding of the central government’s “overall jurisdiction” over the city with the safeguarding of a high degree of autonomy of Macau.
Zheng also said he believed that Macau’s civil society will make good use of the strong backing of the motherland while enhancing the city’s competitiveness.
Zheng also said that different kinds of people in Macau should be united in the major objectives of loving the country and Macau, and of maintaining Macau’s prosperity and stability – regardless of social classes, sectors, beliefs, ideologies, and religions.
Zheng said that his office will cooperate with any Macau people as long as they acknowledge the nation and Chinese nationality, recognise the “one country, two system” principle and the Macau Basic Law, respect the powers held by the central government in accordance with the nation’s Constitution and the Macau Basic Law, respect the socialist system led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) that is implemented in the country, and dedicate themselves to Macau’s prosperity and stability.
Zheng is the central government’s highest official posted to Macau.
Chui said in his speech that his government would always heed President Xi Jinping’s guidelines. He also thanked the Liaison Office for its “strong” support and pledged his government’s pro-active participation in the central government’s Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Central People’s Government Liaison Office Director Zheng Xiaosong (centre) wishes journalists a happy Chinese New Year after his speech at the Spring Festival reception hosted by his office at Macau Tower yesterday. Photo: Tony Wong
