MACAO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chui Sai On has said that the motherland is Macao's strongest supporter, which supports the region in the implementation and practice of the "one country, two systems," "Macao people governing Macao" and the high degree of autonomy, and in strictly abiding by China's constitution and the Basic Law of the Macao SAR.

NEVER CEASE NURTURING OF PATRIOTISM

Chui, born here in 1957, is about to end his second term, wrapping-up his 10 years at the chief executive office.

In his work review titled "Ten years of Policy Implementation for Achieving Long-term Stability," "to advocate the core value of being loyal to the country and to Macao" was among those highlighted concepts.

Chui told Xinhua in a recent interview that Macao has seen a long tradition of being loyal to the country and to Macao even before it returned to the motherland in 1999. Since 1999, the tradition has been maintained at different levels of government, communities and in education.

Since Macao returned to the motherland, Chui said, China's constitution and the Basic Law have been promoted in the whole society, laying a legal foundation for the region.

Communities loyal to the country and to Macao have joined hands with the SAR government in economic development and livelihood improvement, Chui said, adding that the education sector have also spared no effort in promoting the core value of being loyal to the country and to Macao, which will hopefully be inherited generation by generation.

All educational institutions in Macao hoist the national flag, where patriotism education is a regular practice.

The SAR government launched a program in the curriculum year of 2004-2005 to improve knowledge and passion of both Macao teachers and students on the motherland. Some 65,000 people have since participated in the program.

Since 2016, more than 3,000 Macao students have toured the Chinese mainland for study and cultural exchanges under a government-sponsored plan.

A great number of cultural exchange activities between the Chinese mainland and Macao have boosted the mutual understanding between both education sectors.

Chui said these activities help Macao people know more about the motherland's history thus encourage the compatriots to nurture the loyalty to the country and to the region.

Since returning to the motherland 20 years ago, Macao has been finding it relatively easy to tackle problems, and this should mostly be due to the widely-cherished loyalty to both the country and the region, said Chui.

He therefore stressed that to nurture the loyalty shall be a long-term and systematic work.

STICKING TO PATH OF DEVELOPMENT

Macao saw a proud per-capita GDP of over 82,000 U.S. dollars in 2018 and a humble unemployment rate of 1.8 percent in August, 2019.

"Economic development and improvement of livelihood have been the important guideline during my 10 years at the chief executive office," said Chui.

He outlined Macao's four-facet future role as a combination of an international tourism and leisure center, a platform for trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, an active participant of the Belt and Road Initiative and one of four center cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

He praised Macao's achievements in building the tourism center and in boosting ties between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, hoping to see a bigger role for Macao to play in enhancing people-to-people exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The chief executive said Macao has been prepared to construct a technical innovation corridor for Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao.

"Talents and education are crucial for the future," Chui said, adding that Macao encourages its youth to participate in the Greater Bay Area development and welcomes people from Guangdong to come to Macao for education and career development.

In need of talents in sectors of conference and expo industry, cultural innovation, Chinese traditional medicine, special finance, high-end services, Chui said Macao wishes to both cultivate local talents and recruit from other areas.

"We are pleased to be allowed into the country's development scheme. We do cherish the opportunity," said Chui, promising to wisely implement policies of the central government and actively participating in regional cooperation and sustainable development.

Chui noticed the risks which is posed by the overwhelming reliance on gaming industry, vowing to continue the development of a more diversified economy.

"Developing is our must-do, as we attach great importance to people's basic needs including education, health, social security and disaster prevention and diminishing," said Chui.

"People's livelihood is our top priority."

In the past, in face of the outcome of the international financial crisis and a growth slide-down, the SAR government has always prioritized safeguarding people's livelihood, said Chui.

The government has spared no effort in stimulating the economy, stabilizing the employment through financial and aid programs and controlling the impact of economic slow-down on people's life.

Chui hailed the central government for caring for Macao residents' welfare, saying with the country's support, the SAR government put forward a development scheme in which people's livelihood improvement is highlighted.

Chui said the SAR government has been trying to benefit all residents in service and income.

MACAO-MAINLAND HEART TO HEART

"I have been working in Macao for over 30 years, observing that hearts of Macao people and the mainland people are bonding together, which cements the base for the loyalty to the country and to Macao," said the chief executive.

Citing the People's Liberation Army's aid efforts in the aftermath of the typhoon Hato in 2017, the chief executive expressed gratitude to the central government, as it always lends helping hand promptly when Macao is faced with difficulties.

He also recalled the SARS epidemic in 2003, which dragged down Macao's tourism-dependent economy. Macao's recovery is much attributed to the central government's aid in medicine and individuals tourism boosting.

"As to the principle of 'one country, two systems', the country means the strongest support," said Chui.

He also praised Macao people for their passionate loyalty to the country, as when disasters take place in the mainland, many Macao people rush to the affected areas in aid efforts, donate fund and other resources.

"Their love and caring for the mainland compatriots are sincere," said Chui.

Nearing the conclusion of his 10 years at the chief executive office, Chui chose "stability" as the key word during his reign.

He said Macao people and the mainland compatriots share a future for a long run instead of a short term.