Foreign military attaches in Macao

At the invitation of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, 110 military attaches from 52 foreign countries visited Macao today and met with the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan. Ms Chan expressed a very warm welcome to the delegation on behalf of the Macao SAR Government when she met the delegates. She said that Macao SAR would mark its 10th Anniversary next year, riding on the support from the Central Government and efforts of the citizens in Macao. The economy had witnessed a vibrant growth, employment stayed at a high level and the population enjoyed a better quality of life. While social and cultural developments were notably promoted, Macao also fostered a closer relationship with the Mainland and gained a wider network with the rest of the world, she said. Since the establishment of the Macao SAR, Macao had abided by the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Garrisoning of the MSAR”. In the performance of its defence functions and responsibilities, the Macao Garrison of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army safeguards the security of Macao. Ms Chan stressed that the Macao Government would continue to maintain an effective liaison with the Macao Garrison and uphold the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle. After the meeting, the delegation listened to the latest economic development of Macao. During this one-day visit, the delegation also visited the troops as well as some scenic places. The delegation left Macao in the afternoon and to continue their visit to Zhuhai. These foreign military attaches started their journey on 16 September. They had visited Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.