China: Ho Iat Seng Elected as Macao's Chief Executive

The lone candidate for the fifth-term chief executive (CE) election of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Ho Iat Seng, was declared winner after all 400 members of the election committee voted Sunday.

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"I will unswervingly carry out my duties and governance in strict accordance with the constitution and the basic law to serve the people, the SAR, and the country," Ho said.

Under the Basic Law of Macao, the CE's role is to be the head of the Macao Special Administrative Region to represent it and be accountable to the Central People's government.

The 62-year-old businessman and former president of Macao's Legislative Assembly won with 392 votes in favor, according to the election management committee. Based on the election method, the voting is only legitimate upon the attendance of two-thirds of the election committee members and a 200-vote majority.

After his election, Ho told those present that he will spare no effort to uphold the principles of "one country, two systems," in which "Macanese govern Macao" with "a high degree of autonomy."

From 2004 to 2009, Ho served as a member of the Executive Council of the Macao SAR. In October 2013, he was elected president of the Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR and was re-elected in October 2017.

He had also been a deputy of China's National People's Congress (NPC) and a member of the NPC Standing Committee. Now he will have to wait for the approval of China's central government to assume his new position as CE of Macao.