Chinese President Hu Jintao waves to citizens during a visit to the ruins of St. Paul Church in Macao, south China, Dec. 19, 2004.

President Hu Jintao toured on December 19 several sites of historical interest during his first trip to Macao.

Hu, who arrived here Sunday morning, is here on a two-day visit to attend a celebration gathering to mark the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the inauguration of the second-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, first stopped over at the Ruins of St. Paul Church, a landmark architecture in Macao which has a history dating back to the year 1637.

Hu admired the exquisite relief sculpture on the ruins and listened intensively to the briefing on its past.

Seeing many tourists and local residents around, Hu reached out and waved greetings to them, who responded with warm applause.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (C) visits the Macao Museum in Macao, south China, Dec. 19, 2004.

The president then went to the Macao Museum and had a close look at its rich displays.

He also stepped onto the top of the museum, where another historical site, Monte Fort, is seated. The fortifications were built in the 17th century and once protected Macao from Dutch invasions.

Source: Xinhua