Maltese President Guido De Marco congratulated China on Macao's return and praised the event as a great contribution to world peace, reports on December 15 from Valletta said.

Addressing a picture show on Macao sponsored by the Chinese embassy in Malta, De Marco applauded Macao's return as a great contribution to world peace, noting Chinese and Portuguese efforts in peacefully settling the hundreds-year issue through dialogues.

The "one country, two systems" policy, initiated by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and proved out by Hong Kong's successful return, has become an effective solution to pending problems left by history, said the president.

De Marco said the policy has now created a dialogue bridge for China and Portugal to smoothly settle the Macao issue, by guaranteeing both Macao's return to China and the continuance of its current social system.

He also hailed Macao's return as a successful example of China's peaceful diplomacy, which fully reflects the country's arts of far-sighted diplomacy and pragmatic diplomatic policy.

Chinese Ambassador to Malta Zu Qinshun, who jointly presided over the opening ceremony with De Marco, briefed the guests of the facts about Macao's return and principles of "one country, two systems," "Macao people governing Macao" and "a high degree of autonomy."