The delegation of two taikonauts and a clutch of engineers of China's second manned space mission paid visit to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) on Thursday afternoon.

Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, the two taikonauts, received bouquets presented by nine female soldiers before entering the conference hall at the garrison headquarters stationed in downtown Macao.

Commander Liu Lianhua presided over the welcoming ceremony and Commissar Yang Zhongmin addressed the gathering.

Yang said in his speech that the Macao garrison is proud of the success of the Shenzhou VI space mission and is honored to invite the "Hero Taikonauts" here.

He said all PLA officers and soldiers stationed in Macao are to learn from the taikonauts and engineers "the spirit of the space mission" and to follow the spirit in their cause of guarding the MSAR.

Fei Junlong, a former jet-fighter pilot, extended the best wishes to the garrison personnel on behalf of his fellow taikonauts.

"The space glory belongs to the motherland, the people and the PLA," he said.

The 30-strong Shenzhou VI delegation arrived on Wednesday after concluding its four-day tour in Hong Kong.

The visiting taikonauts and engineers made a science presentation to some 1,000 Macao people on Wednesday.

They are also scheduled to meet with local students and to attend a grand evening gala, hosted by the MSAR government later on Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2005)