Thousands of lights and brilliant displays of fireworks blazed Tiananmen Square in the Chinese capital, where 30,000 jubilant Beijing residents braved freezing temperatures on the night of December 19 to celebrate Macao's return to the motherland.

A grand gala themed "Hello, Macao" was held at the 440,000-square-meter square at midnight Sunday, with little more than ten days to go before the start of the new millennium.

A giant red artificial lotus flower, the emblem of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), bloomed on a stage at the east side of the square. A huge digital countdown clock ticked down the remaining minutes before Macao's return.

In the bitter wind, Chinese performers staged traditional dragon and lion dances to the deafening accompaniment of gongs and drums at the square.

Tiananmen Square at the heart of Beijing witnessed major events in China's modern history. This year alone, two grand celebrations have been held on the newly-renovated square, one for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic in October, and the other for Macao's return.

Only two years ago, jubilant Chinese people celebrated the return of Hong Kong to the motherland at the world's largest square.

Yang Hongji, a well-known baritone, and 100 primary school students sang songs composed specially for the return of Macao. Yang said that all of Chinese are looking forward to China's complete reunification.

"We could not enjoy today's happiness if there had not been great achievements over the past five decades, especially in the 20 years of reform and opening up," said Yang, who also took part in the celebration for new China's 50th birthday on October 1.

Music and dance came to a halt as the countdown clock ticked out the last ten seconds till midnight, when the crowd chanted down to zero in unison.

Two huge TV screens aired the live broadcast of the handover ceremony held in Macao some 2,000 km away. When the national flag was hoisted and national anthem played, celebrants cheered, applauded, laughed and cried.

Yang Yue, a professor from Qinghua University, who celebrated the return of Hong Kong right here two years ago, led his students to Tiananmen Square again to welcome Macao back in the fold of the motherland.

"The colonial rule has ended in China and Asia, and we can hold our heads high and feel proud," said Yang.

Waving the national flag and the Macao SAR flag, Fu Lei, a student from Beijing University, said China will step into the 21st century with a new image after the return of Macao.

The 16-meter-high digital clock, which has been counting the minutes until Macao's return for the past 594 days, will be housed in the Museum of the Chinese Revolution together with other 3,000 items representing China's 100-year evolution from poverty and weakness to wealth and power, said Xu Qing, one of the designers of the countdown board.

Standing under the board, Xu Chunyu, an employee at Beijing Huitian Hotel, whose grandfather is living in Taiwan, said the issues of Hong Kong and Macao have been successfully solved under the principle of "one country, two systems."

"We are looking forward to the early solution of the Taiwan issue and the complete reunification of China," she said.