Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau Deputy Director Xue Xiaofeng (fifth from left, front) poses for a photo with representatives of Macau’s English- and Portuguese-speaking media and fellow Liaison Office officials at the central government’s New Bamboo Garden guesthouse on Penha Hill last night. Xue hosted an end-of-year dinner for the media representatives, thanking them for their professionalism. In a speech, Xue underlined the fruitful outcome of President Xi Jinping state visit to Portugal early this month which reaffirmed Macau’s role as a service platform for relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Xue pointed out that Xi emphasised during the two-day visit that China and Portugal are good friends and good partners and that their relationship has withstood the test of time and international changes and is developing in a healthy and stable manner. Xue also underlined the fact that Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said during the visit that Portugal is willing to support China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and become a hub both for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Xue also said that Macau has played an important role in Sino-Portuguese relations since its return to the motherland. Xue also underlined that Macau society has the fine tradition of patriotism, adding that Macau’s media workers are generally supportive of the central government’s “One Country, Two System” policy. He also said that the editorial policy of Macau’s media has made positive contributions to the maintenance of local society’s prosperity and stability. He also stressed the fact that next year Macau will see several important anniversaries and other events such as the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), the 40th anniversary of the opening of diplomatic relations between the PRC and the Portuguese Republic, and the election of a new chief executive. He also pointed that Portuguese President Rebelo de Sousa will pay a state visit to China next April. Xue concluded his speech by pointing out that many of Macau’s Portuguese- and English-media representatives present at last night’s dinner have left their hometown to work and live in Macau. He said that his office was ready to always keep in touch and provide them with the opportunity to visit the Chinese mainland to experience firsthand the tremendous changes that the nation has undergone thanks to the reform and opening-up policy, a process that is ongoing and won’t stop. He hinted that Macau has become the home away from home for many Portuguese- and English-speaking journalists by quoting a traditional Chinese saying that “It’s good to stay at home a year, and it’s hard to go out an hour,” because of which his office was always ready to assist them in their work.
