QR code linking to the dedicated website in Chinese on the educational exhibition on national security.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, pledged the Government’s consistent effort to promote public awareness and education regarding national security among local community.
Mr Chui delivered a speech on Sunday (15 April) – National Security Education Day – during the opening ceremony of an exhibition on national security education jointly hosted by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR.
He also called for the local community to reinforce its understanding of the relationship between “one country” and “two systems”, and the country’s Constitution and Macao’s Basic Law.
Only through maintenance of the overall security and stability of the country would the prosperity and well-being of Macao and its people also be maintained. This would also consolidate the steady progress of the “One country, two systems” principle in Macao and enable the city to make further contributions to the country’s realisation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Mr Chui stressed.
The obligation to recognise the concept of “one country” on national security issues, was not at odds with the “two systems” principle, he added.
Macao has always run in tandem its effort to discharge its duties and obligations – in terms of upholding the sovereignty of the country and safeguarding the nation’s safety – with its effort regarding social development. In 2009, Macao had passed the National Security Law, fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities as outlined in Article 23 of the Basic Law.
The occasion of Macao holding its first exhibition on national security was to promote understanding of: the principles and achievements relating to the “overall national security outlook”; the relationship between national security and the Macao public; and Macao’s effort in protecting national security in line with the Constitution and the Basic Law.
The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Zheng Xiaosong, also gave a speech at the exhibition’s opening ceremony.
As an SAR of China, Macao enjoyed high degree of autonomy and thus had its constitutional responsibilities – according to the Constitution and the Basic Law – to maintain national security. Every resident in the Macao SAR also shared such duties, Mr Zheng said.
The exhibition was a major step that fully demonstrated Macao was fulfilling its responsibilities to maintain national security, Mr Zheng added.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event after Sunday’s opening ceremony, the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak, stated the Government was considering introducing detailed regulation to assist in Macao’s observation of National Security Law. Mr Wong pledged that the Government would gather opinions from different sectors in order to advance such consideration.
While the legal framework of the National Security Law outlined Macao’s overall responsibility in relation to national security; it contained no details on enforcement procedures or which bodies should be responsible for enforcing the law.
Approximately 110 guests attended Sunday’s opening ceremony. They included: Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr Ho Hau Wah; the Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr Ye Dabo; and the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Macao Garrison, Mr Liao Zhenrong, along with other Government officials and local community representatives from allwalks of life.
The exhibition is being held at the Handover Gifts Museum of Macao and is open from 10am to 9pm until 30 April. Guided tours will be available.
The exhibition consists of 60 display boards with photographs, and a 20-minute video. The exhibition features four sections, covering: the “overall national security outlook”; the legal framework for protection of national security; traditional and non-traditional issues of national security; and the shared responsibility among all for national security.
