The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government would adhere closely to the aspirations expressed in a letter from President Xi Jinping sent to some Macao senior citizens in response to their communication to him.

President Xi’s letter was received on Monday (7 October) by a group of elderly people volunteering at the I Chon Centre run by the General Union of Neighbourhood Associations of Macao. The old folk had previously written to the President.

The Chief Executive noted Monday’s letter was the third one from President Xi to the Macao community. The first was sent in 2018 to local higher-education institutes. The second was received on 1 June this year by a local school.

Those letters illustrated President Xi’s affection for the Macao community. Such affection was a huge encouragement to Macao people, Mr Chui added.

In Monday’s letter, President Xi sent his greetings to the elderly on the occasion of Chong Yeong Festival – also known as Ancestors’ Day. The letter demonstrated President Xi’s affection and concern not only for the elderly volunteers at the centre, but also all senior citizens living in Macao, Mr Chui said.

President Xi also spoke highly of Macao residents’ love for the country and for Macao, as well as their contribution to promoting patriotism in Macao. Such comments showed the trust held in Macao by the Central Government and state leaders, and was an encouragement to the Macao community, Mr Chui said.

Mr Chui said the SAR Government would strive to achieve aspirations mentioned by the President, in order to promote Macao as a community with an even stronger sense of respecting and loving its elderly people.

The SAR Government would allocate sufficient resources to support elderly people to continue participating in community life. This would also help the seniors to share with the following generations their passion for the country and for Macao.

Meanwhile, the SAR Government would dedicate further effort to complementing the aspirations mentioned in the letter with the guidelines and instructions previously presented by President Xi, in order to unify the local community and ensure the ongoing stability of the “One country, two systems” principle, Mr Chui stated.