In Macao, proud to be Chinese

• Source: Global Times
• [01:47 December 21 2009]
• Comments

Macao residents mark the anniversary Sunday with a lion dance in front of the Ruins of Sao Paulo. Photo: CFP

Macao marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Sunday with an official ceremony.

Many residents said they were impressed by the city's economic development and shared a deeper sense of belonging to China.

The past decade saw rapid economic development in the city, including the opening of the vibrant casino industry and the increasing number of mainland tourists.

President Hu Jintao, speaking at a swearing-in ceremony for SAR Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai-on, said the city has maintained social stability and made significant achievements in implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Macao has made outstanding achievements and accumulated valuable experience since its return to the motherland a decade ago," Hu said, adding that officials of the city should also focus on tackling problems arising from the rapid development.

He also said the central government will continue supporting the governance of Macao in accordance with the law.

Chui said the SAR government intends to diversify the economy of Macao.

Many of the changes in the SAR over the past decade are economic, in particular the casino industry. There are 31 casinos that attracted renowned overseas operators such as Steve Wynn and the Las Vegas Sands.

The city's annual gross revenue from gaming activities jumped from $5.5 billion in 2004 to $14 billion last year. The number of tourists visiting the SAR reached about 30 million last year with most coming from the mainland.