Head of the delegation of the Tiangong-1/Shenzhou-9 manned space docking and rendezvous mission, Mr Niu Hongguang, today extended his gratitude to the people of Macao for their support for the nation’s astronauts and space exploration project.

Mr Niu said this when the delegation met the press at Macau International Airport before they returned to Beijing after a three-day visit.

He said though their time in Macao was short, he noticed that there was a big change after Macao had returned to the motherland 13 years ago, and that he deeply felt Macao people’s enthusiasm towards the nation’s aerospace industry.

The nation’s manned space project has been ongoing for 20 years and they would dedicate to develop and to build the manned space station in the next stage, said Mr Niu, who is also the Deputy Commander of China Manned Space Engineering.

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Xu Ze, the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Zhang Jinfeng, and some 300 students were there to see the delegation to depart.

On the last day of their visit, members of the delegation visited the Ruins of St.Paul, the Fortress Hill, the Macau Grand Prix Museum, the Macau Wine Museum, the Macao Science Centre and the Macau Tower.