Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Sunday congratulated Sam Hou Fai on being elected as Macao Special Administrative Region's sixth-term chief executive designate.
He won the election with 394 votes in favor out of 398 valid ballots.
An edited translation of the message is as follows:
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, the successful completion of this important election fully reflects Macao society's heartfelt support for the "one country, two systems" principle and its strong confidence in the development path and achievements of the Special Administrative Region over the past 25 years.
It also shows the broad recognition of the character, vision, competence, and conduct of Sam Hou Fai and the eager expectation for Macao to achieve new progress and development under the leadership of the new Chief Executive.
The election process and its outcome have further promoted the consensus of "striving forward together" in Macao society and gathered collective strength for "upholding integrity and innovation." This is of great significance for fully implementing the principle of "Macao is administered by patriots" and continuously advancing the successful practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics.
The recognition, support, and expectations of Macao society for Sam Hou Fai are mainly focused on six aspects:
The first is his patriotism and love for Macao, with firm dedication and sincerity.
Sam Hou Fai has long served in public office in Macao, particularly as the president of the Macao SAR's Court of Final Appeal for nearly 25 years since Macao's return to the motherland. He has made significant contributions to the accurate implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, as well as to the development of the judicial system and the rule of law in the Macao SAR.
In his election manifesto, Sam Hou Fai said that the fundamental motivation for his candidacy "comes from the call of the times to fully and accurately implement the 'one country, two systems' principle with unwavering determination and to advance the great cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation; from the strong sense of safeguarding Macao's long-term prosperity and stability in the new era and from the original aspiration to create a better future for Macao, allowing its people to enjoy a better life."
The second is being good at unity and teamwork.
Sam Hou Fai has always prioritized unity, repeatedly stating the importance of building consensus across society, uniting various forces, working together to promote development, and advancing together to create prosperity. He has clearly proposed to improve mechanisms for expressing opinions from the public, experts, scholars, and patriotic Macao organizations, ensuring that he fully listens to the opinions and suggestions of citizens from all sectors, industries, and social strata. He also pledged to further refine the processes of policy formulation, decision-making, development, and implementation. During the election process, he actively listened to opinions and engaged in in-depth communication with various of groups of people.
The third is focusing on development and being pragmatic.
In his election platform, he clearly articulated four major visions: "Rule of Law in Macao," "Vibrant Macao," "Cultural Macao," and "Happy Macao." He systematically proposed governance ideas covering key areas such as public governance, economic development, talent cultivation, improvement of people's livelihoods, and integration into the broader national development strategy.
He emphasized that moderately diversified economic development is crucial for Macao's long-term prosperity and stability, as well as for the immediate interests of its people. He regarded this as a pressing issue that must be addressed. In his interactions and communications with various sectors of society regarding this essential issue, he actively guided everyone to deepen their understanding, clarify the direction of efforts, and identify key work priorities. Additionally, he researched and proposed a series of feasible policy ideas and measures to consider.
The fourth is putting people first and emphasizing livelihoods.
Sam Hou Fai clearly stated that vigorously safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods and continuously enhancing people's living standards are essential requirements of the fundamental purpose of "one country, two systems." This also serves as the starting point and focus of government governance. He proposed specific governance ideas aimed at improving the system for safeguarding and enhancing livelihoods, effectively addressing practical issues affecting people' lives, and ensuring that residents will better share in the benefits of economic development.
The fifth is upholding national security and maintaining stability.
During his tenure as the president of the Macao SAR's Court of Final Appeal, Sam Hou Fai remained dedicated to his duties, leading the judicial authorities to fulfill their responsibilities effectively and in accordance with the law. He repeatedly emphasized the importance of the judicial authorities in actively safeguarding national security and social stability while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of residents.
During the election process, he upheld national sovereignty, security, and development interests as the highest principle of the "one country, two systems" principle. He articulated that the maintenance of national security and social stability in Macao is a major focus of future governance. He clearly stated the need to firmly implement the principle of "Macao is administered by patriots," establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the Special Administrative Region, resolutely combat forces that oppose China and disrupt Macao, and effectively guard against and curb external interference in Macao's affairs.
The sixth is fostering innovation and daring to make breakthroughs.
When announcing his candidacy, Sam Hou Fai clearly stated his intention to actively deepen reforms, explore new avenues, and achieve new progress.
He proposed to steadily advance the government's own reforms, emphasized the importance of innovation and progress in building a high-quality development system with higher governance standards, improved industrial structure, stronger economic resilience, and greater innovation vitality.
Additionally, he aimed to create conditions to support small and medium-sized enterprises in enhancing their competitiveness and proactively adapting to development changes through policy measures. He advocated for advancing the construction of the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin to new heights with an innovative and proactive spirit and mindset. Expanding and updating renovation models and vigorously promoting urban renewal are also part of his approach to solving developmental issues through innovation.
The six aspects mentioned above not only reflect Macao society's full affirmation of Sam Hou Fai but also represent the community's eager expectations for new developments in this new stage.
We believe that under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping and the full support of the motherland, the new Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region will certainly live up to the high expectations of the people.
It is believed that the new Chief Executive will unite and lead Macao society in collective effort and innovative progress to create an even brighter future for Macao on the solid foundation laid by previous chief executives and past SAR governments and make new and greater contribution to the comprehensive advancement of national strength and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization!
Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office congratulates Sam Hou Fai on election as Macao's chief executive designate
