Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of the patriotic education in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Thursday and called for more efforts in this regard after speaking with students, teachers and other residents from different sectors of society. 

"Patriotic education lays a solid social and political foundation for Macao to implement the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle and guides its practice to always proceed in the correct direction," Xi said during his visit to the Premier School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School, which was founded in 1932 and has the largest number of students among Macao's basic education institutions.

Stressing the importance of patriotic education, he called on Macao SAR's education authorities and schools to shoulder the main responsibilities and keep up the good work and achieve more in strengthening younger generation's link to the Chinese mainland. 

Xi made the remarks in the school's auditorium after watching a class on Chinese history themed "'One Country, Two Systems' and Macao."

At the school library, Xi was briefed on the overall situation of Macao's education and the school's history, as well as the patriotic education both at the school and in the SAR since 1999.

Education

It was not the first time for President Xi to interact with students in Macao. In May, students from Hou Kong Middle School wrote a letter to President Xi to convey their best wishes and greetings.

In his reply letter, Xi expressed his hope that the students could pass on the fine tradition of loving the motherland and loving Macao and make contributions to Macao's development and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation when they grow up.

One important factor in Macao's success in implementing the "One Country, Two Systems" is that it has stuck to patriotic education in schools like Hou Kong Middle School.

Patriotic textbooks have been used in primary up to high school education and all schools hold national flag-hoisting ceremony regularly, which has helped strengthen young people's sense of national pride and national identity.

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Trade and Commerce

On the same day, Xi also hailed progress made by Macao since its return to China in advancing the building of a service platform for commercial and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (PSCs) 

Xi made the remarks while visiting the China-PSCs Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex, calling the building of the service platform an "important measure" of giving full play to Macao's strengths to meet the needs of the country.

Xi said he had cordial exchanges with students from countries along the Belt and Road who are studying in Macao, encouraging them to leverage the valuable experience to learn more and become envoys of friendship between China and their own countries and the world.

After hearing an introduction to Macao's overall urban plan, Xi affirmed Macao's efforts in terms of long-term planning and coordination.

Government

Accompanied by the Macao SAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On, Xi also met with other residents from all walks of life, including community leaders and senior officials. 

Xi told the residents that he had seen the constant improvement of the livelihood of the Macao people and could feel the historic changes since Macao's return to the motherland in 1999.

Macao's great development and changes over the past 20 years has demonstrated the vitality of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, he said, calling on local government to continue integrating Macao's own development and prosperity with that of the Chinese mainland.

He also met with Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Ho Hau Wah, and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Carrie Lam.

President Xi is in Macao for the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

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