In coordination with the Central Government’s policy, the Macao Government would speed up the completion of reconstruction time from five years to three years in order to improve quality of life of the people affected by the fatal earthquake in Sichuan.

Macao and Sichuan today held a working meeting where both groups reviewed the work done over the past year, and discussed the working direction for the future.

During the meeting, the Chairman of the supporting committee, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On and the Mayor of Guangyuan, Sichuan, Mr Ma Hua signed agreements for six projects on behalf of the two governments.

The six Macao funded projects are to build three schools, one centre for the physically challenged, one psychiatric centre and one old folks' home.

Mr Chui told the media after the meeting that all these buildings would be strictly constructed in accordance to the State’s safety and quality standard.

Moreover, Sichuan has proposed 61 projects with a total budget of RMB3.6 billion in the meeting, and more projects would be proposed in the latter half of this year, Mr Chui said.

The Macao Government decided to donate five billion patacas to support the reconstruction works in Sichuan.