HU JINTAO SWEARS IN MACAU'S NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

UNCLAS HONG KONG 002321

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SUBJECT: HU JINTAO SWEARS IN MACAU'S NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE


1. On December 20, Macau celebrated the 10th
anniversary of its return to mainland China and saw the
transfer of power to a new Chief Executive (CE). Chinese
President Hu Jintao presided over the swearing-in ceremony of
Fernando Chui Sai-on, the former Secretary for Social Affairs
and Culture, as Macau's third-term CE, along with key
government officials and members of the Executive Council.
Heeding earlier central government calls for Macau to
diversify its economy, Chui pledged to "actively develop the
appropriate diversification of the economy," with increased
emphasis on convention, exhibition, logistics and cultural
industries, while strengthening oversight of the gaming
industry. Chui also promised to improve governance, listen
to public sentiment, build a clean government, and enhance
quality of life for Macau citizens.


2. In a 16-minute speech, President Hu Jintao praised
Macau's success and the progress achieved during the past
decade but urged the Chui Administration to further
strengthen rule of law, improve people-based governance, and
facilitate a clean and effective government. Hu spelled out
five "musts" for the new government: 1) must fully and
correctly understand and implement the "one country, two
systems" principle; 2) must strictly abide by the Basic Law;
3) must focus its efforts on sustainable development; 4) must
safeguard social harmony and stability by all means; and 5)
must nurture different types of talents to increase Macau's
long-term competitiveness. Hu also mentioned Hong Kong in
his speech, a move local analysts saw as unusual and which
has raised alarm bells in Hong Kong's democratic circles.
Some Hong Kong democrats took Hu's comments about the
importance of "one country, two systems", along with his
praise for Macau passing Article 23 national security
legislation earlier in the year, as signs Beijing wants to
see Hong Kong pass Article 23 legislation. Hong Kong
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam
subsequently stated the Hong Kong government had no plans to
introduce Article 23 legislation.


3. Meanwhile, and mostly hidden from participants in
the celebrations, about a thousand demonstrators joined the
proto-democratic New Macau Association (NMA) in a largely
peaceful march calling for universal suffrage, the protection
of people's livelihood, an end to government corruption, and
the right for mainland-born children to settle in Macau. NMA
submitted a petition with over 10,000 signatures to a Macau
government representative. It had hoped to meet with the
newly-appointed Chui administration to discuss their demands
for democratic reforms, particularly for the CE to be elected
by universal suffrage in 2019. NMA told local media the
turnout was better than expected, claiming the government had
"done a lot to control the scale" of the protest. NMA had
earlier criticized the government for denying the group's
request to display banners at various locations to advertise
the protest. The group was only permitted to display one
banner at the starting point of the march.


4. Other planned protests did not take place as two
groups of Hong Kong activists were barred from entering
Macau. Fourteen campaigners, including League of Social
Democrats legislator Leung "Long Hair" Kwok-hung, who planned
to petition President Hu Jintao for universal suffrage in
Hong Kong, were stopped at the Macau ferry terminal and
placed on ferries back to Hong Kong. Two activists from the
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic
Movements in China also were turned away at the border,
preventing them from petitioning Hu for the release of
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Hong Kong media also reported
two Hong Kong journalists were refused entry December 19.
Although one of the reporters was planning to cover the
anniversary celebrations, the other was traveling to the
territory on holiday with her family.
MARUT