MACAO, May 10 -- China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang called on here Wednesday to nurture talents with both ability and virtue for the future development of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).
The call came as Zhang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, inspected the University of Macao (UM).
Speaking after meeting with representatives from Macao's education sector, Zhang said the Macao SAR government and educators have always upheld the right direction of education and safeguarded the inheritance of the fine tradition of "love the country, love Macao."
In recent years, the education of "love the country, love Macao" has been intensified, the investment in education increased, the quality of basic education greatly improved, and the development of tertiary education vastly sped up, Zhang said.
The new campus of UM in Hengqin, inaugurated in 2013, is a fruitful result from the pioneering implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle in Macao, and has opened up a new path of higher education under the "one country, two systems" principle, marking the "leapfrog development" of Macao's tertiary education, said Zhang, adding "We have good reasons to be proud of the achievements scored in implementing the 'one country, two systems' principle and to be fully confident over its practice".
On the education of the young people, Zhang said priorities should be given to moral consciousness, the nation's history, culture and conditions, among others, so that they will commit themselves to the cause of the "one country, two systems" with a greater sense of responsibility and mission.
Zhang said since Macao has been enjoying effective governance, social harmony, prosperity and stability, it should strive to strengthen and develop the good momentum and nurture more talents for its future governance and construction.
Zhang encouraged Macao's young people to be ambitious and link up their own fate with the future of the country and the SAR, to learn more and understand the country's history and to promote the Chinese culture so as to boost the confidence as being the Chinese.
Zhang also encouraged the young people in Macao to study hard and build themselves up physically and psychologically to enhance their abilities so as to become builders of the cuase of the "one country, two systems".
Macao's young people should be confident over the country and the nation, the Chinese Communist Party, the socialism with Chinese characteristics and the "one country, two systems" principle, Zhang added.