Chinese President Jiang Zemin arrived in Macao by special plane Tuesday afternoon to attend the celebrations of the first anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).
At 4:28 pm, Jiang, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), arrived at the Macao International Airport in the company of Macao SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah, who went to Beijing for his first duty visit last Sunday.
Macao returned to the motherland on December 20, 1999, when Jiang was present at a grand ceremony in Macao, declaring that China had resumed its exercise of sovereignty over Macao.
Jiang's entourage, including his wife Wang Yeping, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, CMC Member and Director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Yu Yongbo, Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Gang, and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Liao Hui, arrived aboard the same plane.
Jiang and his party were greeted at the airport by local celebrities including Vice-Chairman Ma Man Kei of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, President Susana Chou of the Legislative Council, President Sam Hou Fai of Court of Final Appeal and Secretary Florinda Da Rosa Silva Chan for Administration and Justice of the Macao SAR government.
Among those who also greeted Jiang at the airport were Director Wang Qiren of the Liaison Office of the central government in Macao, Special Commissioner Yuan Tao of Foreign Ministry in Macao and Commander Liu Yuejun of the Chinese PLA Garrison Troops in Macao.
Some 150 children and over 100 local residents waving China's national flags, the Macao SAR regional flags and flowers were at the airport to greet Jiang and his party. Jiang and his wife were presented with a bouquet of flowers amidst music played by a local police band.
During his stay in Macao, Jiang is scheduled to attend a grand gathering celebrating the first anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR, and meet with local government officials and celebrities.
Jiang's visit to Macao has become a hot topic for local residents and hit the headlines of major local newspapers. Large red lanterns and banners with welcoming words for Jiang are seen in downtown areas in the coastal city with strong festive flavor.
(Xinhua 12/19/2000)
