Comrade Jiang Zemin has pointed out, "The 5,000-year-old splendid culture created jointly by the sons and daughters of various nationalities of China has always been the spiritual bond linking the entire Chinese people, it is also an important foundation for realizing peaceful reunification." While covering news in Macao, the more we understand Macao, the more we can comprehend the profound meaning of this remark, and the more we will feel the vitality and cohesive force of Chinese culture.

The Portuguese had gradually occupied Macao for more than 400 years, Western religions had spread in Macao for over four centuries, and the Portuguese had ruled over Macao for more than 100 years, various forces were disseminating external cultures. In Macao, however, Chinese culture has always been rooted in the soil of Macao and held a dominant position. The languages of Macao, in addition to the officially used Portuguese language, the people almost all use the Chinese language. In Macao's Portuguese dinner, many dishes are Chinese ones changed only superficially; with regard to religions in Macao, over 90 percent of the residents, like compatriots in the hinterland, believe in traditional Chinese religions or do not believe in any religion. What generation after generation of Macao people have inherited is still the tradition and values of the Chinese nation, what they have retained is still the "China heart" that has continued for 5,000 years.

Macao has vividly revealed the existence of vitality and cohesive force of Chinese culture: which is all-inclusive, broad and deep, dignified and unaffected and realistic. On the billboard, the two languages contrast finely with each other; in the residential quarters, the Portuguese and Chinese live neighboring to each other; at wedding ceremony, the wedding gauze and woman's dress each display their elegance; of the buildings and houses, Chinese and Western styles set each other off; the well-known Dasanba Memorial Archway is a typical Western Baroque style, but what was used for the construction was traditional Chinese construction technique. Ma Zhu (Lady Matriarch), Avalokitesavara and Jesus each have their respective mosques, temples and churches and their respective believers coexist in peace and harmony. Like the big sea containing a hundred streams, they treat different traditions, customs, beliefs and civilizations with due respect, preserve differences and seek common grounds, and coexist in peace. The national spirit nurtured by such culture certainly can defy steadfastly all brute force and cannot be shaken by poverty or destitution, they will constantly make efforts to improve themselves and go on continually.

The great concept "one country, two systems" created by Deng Xiaoping for the solution of the issue regarding China's reunification, in the final analysis, is rooted in the realistic, scientific spirit, at the same time, it is also rooted in the largeness of mind that can accommodate a hundred streams, and in the fine cultural tradition of the Chinese nation. Such a creation represents the fundamental and long-term interests of the Chinese nation, points the way for realizing the reunification of the Chinese nation and brims over with vigor and vitality, so it has strong vitality and historical necessity.

It is such vitality and necessity that enables the Chinese nation to have smoothly recovered Hong Kong and guaranteed Macao's smooth return to the motherland. This makes it clear to us that Chinese descendants are brought forth by the same Chinese culture, and people on both sides of the Straits have the same cultural bond, with this bond, the "one country, two systems" principle is the only correct choice for the eventual solution of the Taiwan issue and the realization of the motherland's full reunification.