Macao chief executive thanks central government for support

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), thanked the Chinese central government Friday for its support for the SAR since Macao returned to China in 1999 from Portuguese rule.

Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chief  Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah addresses the opening  ceremony of the Decade of Achievements Exhibition  for the 10th Anniversary of the Macao Special  Administration Region, at the Capital Museum in  Beijing, China, on Dec. 11, 2009.  (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Ho said at an exhibition in Beijing marking Macao's achievements in the past 10 years that the SAR government had successfully implemented the "one country, two systems" concept with support from the central government and cooperation from Macao residents.

The concept was proposed by then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s for the reunification of China. Under the mechanism, Hong Kong and Macao retained their capitalist systems after returning to China.

Ho said at the exhibition's opening ceremony that Macao had overcome challenges to ensure social stability, advance economic development, improve living standards and gradually carry out reforms.

This exhibition of photos, texts and other items is open to the public from Saturday to Jan. 13 next year. After Beijing, it will be held in several other mainland cities.

Dec. 20 will be the 10th anniversary of Macao's return to China.