Premier Li Keqiang chaired the Third Plenary Session of the State Council, appointing Ho Iat Seng as the fifth chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Ho will be sworn into office on Dec 20.

The session reviewed the report from the Macao government on electing Ho as the fifth chief executive of the Macao SAR, and heard a report on the process of electing the leader from Zhang Xiaoming, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

Premier Li remarked that the election of the fifth chief executive of the Macao SAR is law-based, complying with the basic law and other related laws of the Macao SAR, and follows the principles of openness, fairness and justness. And Ho’s electoral victory shows the Macao society’s extensive support for and confidence in him.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, said the Premier.

Over the past 20 years, the SAR government governed Macao according to law, the region witnessed rapid economic development and comprehensively improved social undertakings, and its people live and work in contentment with support from the central government and the mainland, he said.

The “one country, two systems” principle has been successfully implemented in the region with many characteristics and highlights, Premier Li added.

Macao’s development is closely linked with that of the mainland, and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will bring new opportunities to Macao, said the Premier.

The central government will unswervingly advance the practice of "one country, two systems", "Macao people governing Macao" with a high degree of autonomy, and fully support the SAR government and its chief executive to discharge their duties, develop the economy, improve lives and enhance harmony in strict accordance with the basic law of the region, he said.

Premier Li said he believes that Ho, after his assumption of duty, will lead the new administration and Macao people from all walks of life to create new prospects for Macao’s development and display a successful practice of the “one country, two systems” principle.

According to the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the State Council appointed Ho Iat Seng as the fifth chief executive of Macao SAR. Premier Li signed the appointment decree.

Vice-Premiers Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan, and Liu He; State Councilors Wang Yong and Xiao Jie; and other officials attended the meeting.