Macao SAR office of ARATS established

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 ◆ Macao SAR office of ARATS established

The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) office of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) was inaugurated in Macao recently in an attempt to serve people across the Straits in a more direct and wide-ranging way.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said "the relationship between the Macao SAR and Taiwan has become a special component of that of the Taiwan Straits since Macao returned to the motherland. "

The Macao-Taiwan ties have stayed on the development track based on the "One China" principle under the leadership of the SAR government since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao on December 20, 1999, Chen said.

The special role and influence of the Macao SAR in promoting the relations across the Taiwan Straits are increasing day by day, he noted.

The Macao SAR office of the ARATS will surely take full advantage of Macao's unique geological conditions to consolidate the role of the ARATS in putting forward the relations and serve the people across the Taiwan Straits, the official said.

This was the first office set up by the ARATS, Li Bingcai, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told the press.

The office's major function is to strengthen the links and cooperation with Taiwan and overseas social groups and people from every walk of life that agree with the aim of the ARATS, to serve Taiwan compatriots, industrial and commercial groups and people from all walks of life in terms of economic cooperation and exchanges, to help handle issues to protect the interests of people across the Taiwan Straits, and to fulfill tasks from the ARATS and its superior departments, Li said.

Statistics show that a total of one million Taiwanese came to Macao in 2001.

Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah of the Macao SAR delivered a written message, showing his congratulations for the office and vowing to provide necessary convenience and support for its operations.