Place national and Macao interests above everything, Liu urges

The Vice-Chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ms Liu Yandong, today met with leaderships of more than 30 societies, associations and organisations from different sectors. She told them that they were strong support to the long-term stability and prosperity of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). These groups, training considerable talents for the society, helped connect the SAR Government with its residents. She encouraged members of these organisations to place the interests of the nation and Macao as their priority, and contribute to the development of the motherland and the SAR. Moreover, they could make good use of their advantages to promote the connections between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, she said. Ms Liu, who is also the Head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, encouraged them to unite people from different sectors and contribute to the development of Macao. The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, who was at the same function, echoed Ms Liu's remarks and said civic associations that adhered to the principle of 'loving the motherland, loving Macao' were the cradles of the future administrators of the SAR. He stressed that civic associations should strive to nurture more local talents in order to continue and support the principles of 'One country, two systems' and 'Macao people governing Macao', and 'the high degree of autonomy in Macao'. These talents should not speak nor do things that threaten solidarity and social harmony, Mr Ho said. He urged civic associations to adhere to working for the national interest and the interest of the people of Macao, and be in line with the goal of reunification of the motherland. Some 100 representatives from different associations attended the meeting and the following banquet. Earlier in the afternoon, Ms Liu met with the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Macao, José Lai Hung-seng, and visited the Ruins of St Paul's and the Museum of Macau on Fortress Hill.