President Jiang Zemin is set to lead the Chinese government delegation to the ceremony marking China's resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Macao.

The Chinese and Portuguese governments will jointly hold the handover ceremony at midnight on December 19.

In addition, the Chinese president will head the central government delegation to the ceremony for the founding of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the inauguration of the Macao SAR government.

Jiang is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The members of the delegation will include Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Chi Haotian, Vice-Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Zou Jiahua, State Councilor Wang Zhongyu, Vice-Chairmen of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Ye Xuanping.

The delegation will include three vice chairmen of the CPPCC National Committee based in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as leaders of non-communist parties and representatives of non-party- affiliated organizations.

Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR government, and Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive-designate of the Macao SAR government, are also members of the delegation.