Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), said in a New- Year message that Macao has entered a new era and that the new year is of great significance to every Macao resident.

"January 1st of 2000 is not only the first day of the new year, but is the first New Year's day after Macao was reunited with the big family of the motherland," Edmund Ho said in his written message. "It is the beginning of a new era which Macao has marched in."

He noted that over the past year, Macao people had taken an active part in the preparations for the founding of the Macao SAR and worked for the implementation of the principles of "one country, two systems," "Macao people governing Macao" and a high degree of autonomy in Macao.

"Today is not only the beginning for the SAR government to carry out its policies, but also the beginning for it to present fine grades in the face of all citizens," he said.

The Macao SAR government will definitely work out and carry out policies in strict accordance with the principles of serving the residents and considering the overall interests of Macao.

The chief executive expressed the firm belief that all civil servants in Macao will respond to the demands of local residents in a responsible and industrious manner.