Celebration gathering, inauguration ceremony begin in Macao

A celebration gathering marking the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the inauguration ceremony of the second-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were held Monday.

President Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, attended the ceremony, where Macao Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah and principal officials of the Macao SAR government were sworn into office.

President Hu delivered an important speech after the inauguration ceremony.

The celebration gathering started at 9:30 Monday morning amid the music of the national anthem.

Edmund Ho Hau Wah went to the podium first to take his oath solemnly, administered by President Hu.

Principal officials of the second-term SAR government and members of Macao's Executive Council also took their oaths.

Before the celebration gathering, President Hu met with Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

A grand flag-raising ceremony to mark the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland is held in the Macao Special Administrative Region, south China, on Dec. 20, 2004.

Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the ceremony, where Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah and principal officials of the Macao SAR government will be sworn into office.

A celebration gathering marking the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the inauguration ceremony of the second-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region is held in Macao, south China, on Dec. 20, 2004.

A celebration gathering marking the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the inauguration ceremony of the second-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were held Monday morning.