MK sports China's national flag and the regional flag of the Macao Special Administrative Region fly at the Golden Lotus Square in South China's Macao. Photo: Lin Xiaoyi/GT" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-12-17/8027aa7b-1129-4a4c-a8ee-e123feea5f8b.jpeg" />

The China's national flag and the regional flag of the Macao Special Administrative Region fly at the Golden Lotus Square in South China's Macao. Photo: Lin Xiaoyi/GT

Macao is buzzing with excitement as the city prepares to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland. Streets has been adorned with celebratory banners, with Five-Starred Red Flag - China's national flag and the regional flag of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) complementing each other.  

"The celebrations highlight Macao's remarkable transformation under the 'one country, two systems' policy. Macao has now become a magnetic Chinese hub with multiple charms and prosperity amid the deeper integration into national development," Luo Weijian, a law professor at the University of Macao, told the Global Times.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Macao from December 18 to 20 to attend a gathering marking the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be present at the inauguration ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Macao SAR, Xinhua said. 

Xi will also conduct an inspection tour during his stay in the Macao SAR.

Currently across Macao, residents are participating in various activities to commemorate the anniversary. For example, Hou Kong Middle School hosted a lecture on "Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Macao's Return to the Motherland - The Constitution and Basic Law Entering Campus."

Zhou Kelly, a student at the middle school, told the Global Times that the lecture reinforced her understanding of how the Basic Law of the Macao SAR established the implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy, bringing Macao closer to the mainland and leading the region to enter a rapid economic and social development period under the guidance of the central government. 

One campus poster reads, "Promotion of the Basic Law of the Macao SAR should come rain or shine."

Under a giant "Welcome to Macao" banner at Hengqin Port, Shen Yitong, a fourth-year student at the City University of Macao who lives in Zhuhai, East China's Guangdong Province, spoke to the Global Times on Monday about how the "1-hour living circle" concept of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has transitioned from a vision into reality in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone. She noted she regards Macao as the starting point for both her academic and career aspirations.

According to Xinhua, as of September, there were 16,539 Macao residents living in Hengqin, a year-on-year increase of 19.1 percent.

Tourists take selfies at Senado Square in South China's Macao on December 17, 2024. Photo: Lin Xiaoyi/GT

At the Hengqin Light Rail Station, Jimmy Zhang, who was returning to Macao via the newly opened Macao light rail line, talked to the Global Times about his experiences. Zhang, who has been working in the catering industry in Macao for eight years, was returning to prepare for the anniversary celebrations and the upcoming Christmas holiday season. He told the Global Times that since Macao's return, its appeal to international visitors has grown significantly, extending beyond just gambling to encompass diverse offerings like cuisine, shopping, performances, and sporting events.

As of December 7, Macao, which has a land area of only 33 square kilometers, has a total of 32.545 million inbound tourists in 2024.

In front of the famous Ruins of St. Paul, Hong Kong resident Lola Wang, who traveled to Macao specifically for the anniversary celebration along with her daughter, share with the Global Times that "Coming to Macao, I realized how close it is to Zhuhai, much like the proximity of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The close integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA is palpable, giving this small piece of land unlimited development opportunities. Now, the celebratory atmosphere fills us with warmth and excitement," she said.