Commissioner of the Foreign Ministry in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Wan Yongxiang, on Monday sent out Chinese New Year greetings to Macao people.

In his greeting letter, Wan said that Macao has achieved sustainable economic growth and social progress under the leadership of the chief executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah over the past year. The SAR's ascending international reputation has also proved the success of the SAR government's policy orientation.

The Chinese New Year will start on Wednesday according to the lunar calendar. Wan wished that the SAR government would make greater achievements in leading the Macao people to implement the principle of "one country, two systems" in the year 2005, which is very important in its nature as the starting year for the second-term SAR government.

This year will also witness the third election of Macao's Legislative Assembly and the 4th East Asian Games as well as the World Heritage bidding for Macao's historical sites.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2005)