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Chinese Vice President winds up Macao visit

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-11 20:04

MACAO - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping concluded his two-day inspection tour of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and left for the Chinese mainland via the Gongbei cross-boundary port Sunday afternoon.
Before leaving for the Chinese mainland, Xi gave a brief speech at the Gongbei port to sum up the two-day visit to the Macao SAR.

"Although I just spent a very short period of time in Macao," Xi told dozens of reporters at the cross-boundary port, "I have acquired quite a lot from my visit."

"There are difficulties, there are solutions and there is hope, " Xi said, summing up his impressions after meeting people from different walks of life in Macao during his inspection tour.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the welcoming banquet held by the government of Macao Special Administrative Region in Macao, south China, on Saturday, January 10, 2009. Xi Jinping arrived in Macao on Saturday for a two-day inspection tour. [Xinhua]

He noted that like the Chinese mainland, Macao is also encountering temporary difficulties due to the current global financial crisis, and the Macao SAR government has taken strong and effective measures in good order.
"If we keep our spirits high, we will have more solutions than difficulties," he said.

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Xi said he was confident that Macao will overcome the current difficulties through the concerted efforts by the Macao SAR government and people from all walks of life.

Before departing for the Chinese mainland, Xi also met officials of the central government's offices and major state- owned enterprises in Macao.
"The central government pays great attention to the impact of the global financial crisis on the economy of Macao," he said.

Xi said the central government and the neighboring Guangdong province had taken measures to help Macao sustain development and diversify its economy.
During his two-day inspection tour of Macao, Xi was briefed by Macao SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah on the latest situation of the city shortly after he arrived on Saturday.

Xi met representatives of different walks of life and called on two ordinary families to have a direct understanding of the impact of the current global financial crisis on the economy and the people's livelihood in Macao.  

It was Xi's first visit to the Macao SAR since he assumed the office of Chinese Vice President in March 2008.