Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, met on Friday with officials and business people from Hong Kong and Macao who are in Boao to attend the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference.

Wu met with Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Henry Tang Ying-yen, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), as well as a group of business people from the two regions.

Wu showed satisfaction with the current development in Macao when meeting with Ho Hau Wah, saying he hopes that the Macao SAR government under Ho Hau Wah's leadership will lead local people to make Macao more beautiful and more harmonious.

When meeting with Tang Ying-yen, Wu said the principles of "one country, two systems" and "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy" have been faithfully implemented since Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997. Hong Kong now enjoys economic growth, social stability and improved living standards, Wu said, and he hoped the HKSAR government and people will cherish the achievements and make continuous efforts for future development.

Wu noted that the central government will support the governments of the two regions to maintain long-term prosperity and stability.

Wu appreciated the contributions of business people from Hong Kong and Macao to economic development of the two regions and to strengthening their economic ties with the mainland. He encouraged them to make greater contributions to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao and to economic cooperation between the two regions and the mainland.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2007)