Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Thursday spoke highly of the central government's adherence to the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" since Macao's return to the motherland.
"The central government has demonstrated great faith and confidence in Macao's public administration and civil society by letting us running our internal affairs without any interference. At the same time, the central government has given us invaluable support to ensure Macao's stability and progress," he said.
Ho made the remarks in a speech at the APEC CEO Summit 2001 held here Thursday.
The implementation of the Macao Basic Law ensures Macao to enjoy a high degree of autonomy, he said, noting that the territory has experienced a sharp fall in serious crime over the past two years. Macao is now one of the safest cities to live in the world, he said.
Macao's foreign investment is on the rise, while tourists are arriving in greater numbers than ever before, according to the chief executive. In 2000, Macao's GDP growth stood at 4.6 percent.
He pointed out that the fundamental rights of Macao's 440,000 residents have been fully protected and Macao's traditional pluralistic culture has been fully respected. Macao's capitalist system and its unique way of life are fully protected by the Basic Law, he said.
In his speech, Ho talked about Macao's unique lifestyle and harmonious society, geographical advantages and extensive international connections, as well as its free port and low taxation policies.
"Macao's relative small economy depends, quite naturally, on external factors," Ho said. As an integral part of the Asia- Pacific economy, Macao will strengthen cooperative ties with member economies of APEC, he said.
( October 19,2001)
