The government of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) held a series of activities on Wednesday to celebrate the country's National Day.

The celebrations were started with a grand national flag raising ceremony at 8:00 a.m., which was attended by Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah and all principal officials from the MSAR government, central government officials stationed in Macao and local celebrities.

Organized by the Macao Sports Development Board, a long-distance running with participation of roughly 10,000 Macao residents was launched soon after the flag raising ceremony. As an annual National Day-theme activity, the running draws the record number of participants this year.

In the following celebration conference organized by the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Ma Man Kei, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) delivered a key-note speech, in which he hailed for the prosperity and advancement of the motherland, and a better future for Macao.

Ma said that as Macao compatriots celebrated the National Day nearly four years after its return to the motherland, Macao has witnessed economic prosperity and social stability, due to the assistance from the central government, pragmatic and strong leadership of the MSAR government and arduous efforts made by Macao people.

Macao has recently been brought closer to its neighbors of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong by a series of events, which include the central government's grants of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) to Hong Kong and Macao, the launch of the mainland's facilitated individual travel policy on Hong Kong and Macao-bound travel and the expectant prospect on the building of a bridge threading up Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai city in Guangdong, he said.

The successful practices of the "one country, two systems" principle in Hong Kong showcase the correctness of the policy orientation, Ma said, urging the Taiwan authority to make a decent judgment of the fact.

Later in the day, the MSAR government hosted a grand cocktail party inviting principal officials from the MSAR government, central government officials stationed in Macao and local celebrities.

Macao's Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah addressed the party, saying that Macao's economic success has been achieved with the care and support of the central government. As one of the principal examples of this support, the CEPA pact between the mainland and Macao is scheduled to be inked within the month. Macao has also been chosen by the central government to host the high-level China-Portuguese Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in October. 
 
(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2003)