Macao's chief executive to run for second term

Macao's incumbent chief executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah on Tuesday announced his decision on running forthe second term.

Ho met with the press on Tuesday pledging his sincerity in a continued endeavor to sustain the achievements made by his administration in serving for over 400,000 Macao residents, implementing the central government's principle of "one country, two systems" in the practices of "Macao people governing Macao."

On the same day, Ho's election office went officially into work.The office said that Ho will go to the Election Coordination Center in person on Thursday to pick up a candidate nomination form for the chief executive election.

Ho told the press that his decision on running for a re-election was made after prudential consideration, "regardless of personal gain or loss."

The Election of Macao's next chief executive has been designated for Aug. 29. The Election Coordination Center started to hand out candidate nomination forms to applicators running for the post of Macao's next chief executive Tuesday morning.

According to the related clauses of the Macao Chief Executive Election Law, chief executive runners must secure nomination by atleast 50 members with the 300-member Chief Executive Election Committee to qualify the candidature for the running. Each committee member only has one vote for the nomination.

The lobbying activities for the nomination with the committee will end on July 29. While, the chief executive campaigning periodis set for Aug.14-27.

Ho acted as the first chief executive ever elected by Macao people upon Macao's return to the motherland in Dec. 1999. His five-year term will expire on Dec. 19 this year.

The administration governed by Ho has achieved a smooth political transition and a prominent economic recover. Under its governing, Macao's economy has sustained a growth for four years in a row and realized the fastest growth in history at 15.6 percent last year.

Sourcve: Xinhua