The Central Government will take all measures to support the development of Macau SAR, said President Jiang Zemin when he met the Chief Executive Edmund Ho.

President Jiang, who is in Shanghai for the APEC meeting, met with Chief Executives of Macau and Hong Kong SARs, Mr. Edmund Ho and Mr. Tung Chee Hwa this morning.

President Jiang expressed his concern about the recent development of Macau, especially about the economy, and the Central Government will take all measures to support Macau, said Chief Executive Edmund Ho, adding that the issue will be discussed during his working visit to Beijing in December.

President Jiang also encouraged people of Macau to work hard for the prosperity of the SAR, and to give full play to its uniqueness, said Mr. Ho.

The Chief Executive also reported to President Jiang about the influence of the terrorist attack in America on the Economy of Macau during the meeting.

Mr. Ho said that the people of Macau should be aware that the attack, plus the economic recession in North America might slow down the economic recovery of Macau for more than six months.

He also said that the attack affects not only the economy of Hong Kong and Macau, but also the economy of China as a whole, yet he was optimistic that the economy of China is still expected to grow in next year, which is not only a good news for Macau's economy, but a favourable factor as well.

Concerning the APEC meeting, Mr. Ho said that the event offers an opportunity for the leaders in the Asia Pacific Rigion to gather and to work out solutions to the difficulties faced by all economies, adding that it is a valuable opportunity to present Macau at APEC CEO Summit, which has a wide participation, that would definitely benefit Macau in a long run.