Hu attends Macao 10-year anniversary party

MACAO, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Sunday celebrated the 10th anniversary of Macao's "return to the motherland," state media reported.

The state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that Hu, who was also acting in his roles as general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered "an important speech" at the festivities in the Macao Special Administrative Region, which also marked the swearing-in of Macao SAR Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On.

The news agency said Hu congratulated Fernando Chui and expressed confidence he would lead Macao to a better future under his third term.

Hu reportedly said that the decade since Macao's "return to the motherland" has seen the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" as well as "the smooth implementation of the Basic Law of the Macao SAR and the constant progress made by Macao people of all circles in pursuing a development road that conforms to Macao's realities."