Macao has full backing of central authorities: spokesperson

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping's meeting with Sam Hou-fai, the incoming chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, fully demonstrates the central authorities' wholehearted support for Macao's development, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council said on Friday.

The Friday meeting also reflects the central authorities' earnest expectation for Macao to continuously advance the successful practice of "one country, two systems," said the spokesperson.

The sound environment of Macao today is a vivid testament to the great vitality and strength of the "one country, two systems" principle, the spokesperson said.

During the meeting, President Xi reiterated that the central authorities will stay committed to fully and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems" principle under which the people of Macao administer Macao with a high degree of autonomy, noted the spokesperson, adding that this constitutes the greatest source of confidence for securing steady and continued success of "one country, two systems" in Macao.

The spokesperson also expressed the belief that the new chief executive and government of the Macao SAR will unite all sectors of the Macao society and continuously break new ground in the practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics.