Iconic Ruins of St. Paul's in Macao bears integration of Chinese, Western cultures

The Ruins of Saint Paul's, representing the historic center of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), bears witness to one of the earliest and longest-lasting encounters between Chinese and Western cultures, as Macao is gearing up to mark the 25th anniversary of its return to China on December 20.

Located in the heart of Macao's historic center, the Ruins of Saint Paul's is an iconic landmark of Macao, with its structure resembles a traditional Chinese-style archway. Its name in Chinese "Da San Ba" is the Portuguese transliteration of "Saint Paul".

The original Saint Paul's Cathedral was built in the early 17th century by Jesuit missionaries from Portugal. In 1853, after a devastating fire, the cathedral was reduced to its front facade, with much of its foundation and steps remaining.

Its stone carvings feature a blend of both Chinese and Western cultural elements, depicting the effortless and perfect fusion of Eastern and Western civilizations, which is a hallmark of the region's cultural identity.

With the support of the central government, Macao's historic center including the Ruins of Saint Paul's was inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2005, making it China's 31st world heritage site.

The Ruins of Saint Paul's is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Macao. According to statistics, on average, the site draws around 90,000 visitors a day, with people coming from all over the world to admire its beauty, learn about its history and take photos in front of the striking facade.

The story of the Ruins of Saint Paul's was featured in the fourth episode of the China Media Group (CMG) documentary, titled "25 Years of Lotus Bond."

The series premiered on CCTV-1 at 20:00 Dec. 13 and will run until Dec. 17, with subsequent broadcasts on CCTV-4 and CCTV-13.

The documentary comprises five thematic episodes: Love for the Home and the Nation, A Path of Diversity, The Flavor of Happiness, A City of Integration, and Gateway to the Future. It highlights the successful practices of "one country, two systems" in Macao under the strategic guidance of the central government.

The Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao and established the Macao SAR on December 20, 1999.

Iconic Ruins of St. Paul's in Macao bears integration of Chinese, Western cultures

The current economic performance indicates that China's GDP is expected to grow by around five percent this year, reinforcing its role as a key engine of global economic growth, said an official of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs.

The comments came after the annual, tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference, which was held in Beijing from Dec 11 to 12, where the key economic tasks for 2025 were laid out.

The new quality productive forces have developed steadily, with significant advancements in scientific and technological innovation, particularly in areas such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology. The intelligent and digital transformation of traditional industries has progressed continuously, while the pace of green and low-carbon transformation has notably accelerated, the official said.

Reform and opening-up efforts have continued to deepen, with major initiatives such as raising the retirement age and establishing a unified national market advancing at an accelerated pace. The high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative has been steadily promoted, yielding positive outcomes in terms of high-level opening-up.

Risks in key areas have been mitigated in an orderly and effective manner. A series of measures have been implemented to stabilize the real estate market, resulting in consecutive year-on-year and month-on-month increases in commercial housing sales in October and November. Efforts to address local government debt have been proactive, while risks in small and medium-sized local financial institutions have been steadily alleviated through reforms. The country has made solid efforts to ensure people's wellbeing, with stable employment and the sustained consolidation of poverty alleviation achievements.

China's 2024 economic growth expected to reach about 5 pct: official