"In years to come, I will work tirelessly and resolutely to uphold and implement the principle of 'one country, two systems' in accordance with the Basic Law, and to lead Macao's 400,000-odd citizens towards a bright and prosperous future. This shall be my greatest honor and responsibility."

Edmund Ho Hau Wah, standing beneath the Chinese national flag and the MSAR regional flag and facing a packed hall and hundreds of millions of TV viewers around the world, makes the pledge at a ceremony for the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the inauguration of the MSAR government.

Macao has returned to the embrace of its motherland, under the principles of "once country, two systems", "Macao people administering Macao", and "a high degree of autonomy" for Macao.

The hall of the Forum, where the ceremony is held, is decorated with hundreds of potted flowers and filled with a festive atmosphere.

As Ho takes an oath of office, Jiang Zemin, the Chinese president who has just declared the founding of the MSAR, gazes at this 44-year old top official of the MSAR. Premier Zhu Rongji stands at the side supervising the swearing-in.

The Portuguese landed on the Macao Peninsula 446 years ago, and during the 150-year long Portuguese rule, Portugal had sent 127 governors and deprived local Chinese inhabitants of the right to participate in administration.

Prior to the advent of the new century, Macao people have made Ho their top official.

Ho's life experience so far is said to be a mirror of the past of Macao. He left home for schooling as a child, returned home to revive the business of his family as a young man and became a social dignitary in his middle age.

The first chief executive of the MSAR, raising his right hand, swears to "uphold the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, be loyal to the People's Republic of China and its Macao Special Administrative Region, fulfill my duties wholeheartedly, abide by the law, and be responsible for the Central People's Government and the Macao Special Administrative Region."

Premier Zhu Rongji announces that the central government gives full support to Ho and the MSAR Government under his leadership. The establishment of the MSAR marks Macao's entrance into a new era under the principles of "one country, two systems", "Macao people administering Macao", and "a high degree of autonomy" for Macao.

Macao people have placed high hopes on Ho Hau Wah, whom they have chosen to lead the MSAR government. Ho has said that his policy guideline is to rectify the security sector, restructure the economy, be clean and create harmony among local people.

With support from the central government and strong backing from the Macao people, Chief Executive Ho Hau Wah is expected to succeed in bringing a stable and prosperous Macao into the next century.