Macao SAR government marks 18th anniversary of return to China

The PLA force stationed in Macao holds flag-rising ceremony to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Macao's return to China. /CGTN Photo

Macao held a grand flag-raising ceremony Wednesday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of its return to China.

Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chief Executive Chui Sai On, chief of the local liaison office of the Central People's Government Zheng Xiaosong, and the commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Macao, Ye Dabo, headed the list of officials attending the ceremony at Golden Lotus Square.

The SAR government started the flag-raising ceremony at 8 am, with Macao's disciplined forces and local residents participating in the event.

The honor guards of police officers guarded the national flag and the Macao SAR flag. Then the two flags were hoisted to the national anthem.

The Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao in 1999 as a special administrative region after over 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule.