Staff members count ballots after a voting for the election of the seventh Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) at a polling station in south China's Macao, Sept 12, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
BEIJING – The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Monday congratulated the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on the smooth election of the seventh Legislative Assembly on Sunday.
Under the relatively severe epidemic prevention and control situation, the Macao SAR government has done careful organization and epidemic prevention work to ensure a safe and smooth election, said a spokesperson with the office.
Macao residents have actively participated in the election in an orderly manner and exercised their right to vote in accordance with the law, said a spoeksperson of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council
Macao residents have actively participated in the election in an orderly manner and exercised their right to vote in accordance with the law, which fully demonstrates the successful practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics, the spokesperson said.
The election was conducted strictly according to laws, including the Macao SAR Basic Law and the Legislative Assembly Election Law, said the spokesperson, adding that the result demonstrates the principle of "patriots administering Macao," democracy and broad participation of people from all strata and all sectors of the Macao society.
The election process was fair, impartial, open, clean, and in good order, the spokesperson added.
Over 100,000 voters cast their ballots on Sunday to exercise civic duty, the SAR government said, expressing its gratitude for their involvement. It also thanked the more than 3,000 civil servants assisting with the poll, for ensuring electoral arrangements and other related logistics.
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The preliminary results showed that 14 candidates won the directly-elected seats, and 12 won the indirectly-elected seats.
In line with the Basic Law, the new legislature is composed of 33 seats including 14 directly-elected seats, 12 indirectly-elected seats, and seven others who will be appointed by the SAR's chief executive. The term of office of the seventh Legislative Assembly will start in October 2021.
Noting that the central government is quite concerned about the long-term stability and welfare of the Macao people, the HKMAO spokesperson said Macao SAR is embracing major new development opportunities under the general plan of the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin.
As the legislative body of Macao SAR, the Legislative Assembly has a great role to play in fully and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems" policy and promoting a moderately diversified economy in the Macao SAR, the spokesperson said.
Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Ho Iat Seng casts a vote at a polling station on Sept 12, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
It also plays a role in resolving problems concerning people's livelihood and deepening cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Macao in various fields, the spokesperson added.
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"We hope the elected members of the Macao SAR Legislative Assembly could live up to the trust of Macao residents, earnestly perform their duties and actively support the Macao SAR government to exercise law-based governance," said the spokesperson.
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR on Monday also extended its congratulations on the smooth legislative election and the new Legislative Assembly.
The candidates have shown their duties of loving the motherland and loving Macao, and actively made preparations and participated in the election, said a spokesperson with the liaison office.
All sectors of the Macao society and Macao residents cherished their democratic rights and actively cast their ballots. The election was conducted in a clean, harmonious and orderly way, the spokesperson said, adding that the seventh Legislative Assembly election has shown the spirit of law-based governance in the Macao SAR.
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People get their temperature checked and show health codes before entering a polling station on Sept 12, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)