The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, met teachers and students who recently participated in the “Salute to the National Flag” initiative in Beijing. He encouraged them to continue conveying across Macao the Central Government’s care for the city, and to contribute to the advancement of patriotic education.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Macao teacher and student representatives who recently participated in the “Salute to the National Flag” events in Beijing had been invited to attend today’s flag-raising ceremony and the reception marking the anniversary.

From 18 to 22 September, over 300 Macao teachers and students participated in the “Salute to the National Flag” patriotic study and exchange programme in Beijing. During the initiative, they were received by Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Ding Xuexiang, and the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong.

This morning, taking the opportunity presented by the National Day reception, Mr Sam, accompanied by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms O Lam, and the Director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau, Mr Kong Chi Meng, held exchanges with the invited teacher and student representatives.

During today’s meeting, the student representatives presented Mr Sam with a commemorative pin for the “Salute to the National Flag” Beijing initiative. The student representatives expressed their joy regarding the Beijing programme, and shared their deep sense of honour at having watched the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square and met Vice Premier Ding at the Great Hall of the People, where warm greetings were conveyed to them on behalf of President Xi Jinping.

The teacher and student representatives said the visit had been an unforgettable experience and affirmed their commitment to heeding Vice Premier Ding’s earnest instructions – vowing better to understand the national flag, safeguard the national flag, and bring glory to the national flag.

A student shared insights into her excitement at visiting the facilities of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and being warmly received by Director Xia. Today, she showed the Chief Executive a group photo taken with Mr Xia, noting the joyful atmosphere during the Beijing meeting. She recalled Mr Xia’s remark that they were the youngest guests ever to visit the office, and how he personally had inquired whether they had eaten well and slept comfortably in Beijing, and had listened attentively to their experiences. She said she would share these valuable insights with teachers and classmates at her school.

The Chief Executive noted that this was the first time the MSAR Government had invited young students to attend its National Day flag-raising ceremony and reception as distinguished guests.

In response, one of the young attendees stated it was especially meaningful to witness the Chinese-style ceremonial procedures adopted for the first time by the Public Security Police Force ceremonial guard and the public security forces’ drill team at Golden Lotus Square. The student also said the moment had brought back memories of watching the flag-raising at Tiananmen Square and had filled him with the same sense of excitement – an experience he described as truly unforgettable.

Mr Sam praised the students for their active participation in the Beijing programme, which he said fully demonstrated the patriotism, vitality, and spirit of Macao’s younger generation.

Based on the insights they had shared today, Mr Sam said he had gained a deeper appreciation of the profound significance of the “Salute to the National Flag” initiative, which had greatly strengthened the sense of national identity and national pride among young people.

He encouraged the teachers and students to spread knowledge of their valuable experiences and insights across Macao’s communities, to continue “understanding, safeguarding, and bringing glory to the national flag”, and to become practitioners of patriotism and successors to the cause of “One country, two systems”.

Mr Sam also urged Macao’s young people to reflect deeply on President Xi’s guidance and on the expectations the Central Government has of Macao. While striving for self-improvement, Mr Sam said, the young people should embrace the mission of their times, contribute to Macao’s progress, and actively integrate into and serve the nation’s development agenda.

The MSAR Government will remain steadfast in safeguarding and supporting the healthy development of young people, creating better conditions for Macao’s future generations to grow and thrive, Mr Sam added.