MACAO -- Chief Executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng on Monday said people in Macao must devote united and diligent effort to make use of fresh opportunities arising from the country's overall development, and further promote Macao's unique strengths in the Year of the Tiger.

In his message for the Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 1 this year, Ho said the Macao SAR government would devote unrelenting effort to epidemic prevention and control in the coming year, and to tasks relating to restoring normal socio-economic order.

The SAR government will spare no effort in speeding up adequate economic diversification, enhancing well-being in society, further integrating into overall national development, promoting the successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle with Macao characteristics, and advancing development of the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, Zhuhai city, which is just across Macao in the mainland, Ho added.

Fu Ziying, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, on Monday voiced his confidence that Macao will surely be able to write a new chapter of the success of the practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics in the coming Year of the Tiger.

Fu drew the conclusion in his message for the Chinese New Year on condition that Macao further consolidates the foundation for development, continues to promote appropriate economic diversification, makes use of its unique advantages to integrate into overall national development, and continues to carry forward love for the country and for Macao.

In the past year, with the care of the central government and support from the mainland, Macao has withstood the repeated tests of the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieved social stability and harmony as well as gradual economic recovery, Fu said, noting that the hard-won achievements demonstrated the advantages and vitality of "one country, two systems."

Liu Xianfa, commissioner of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR, said the COVID-19 epidemic has been effectively put under control, that the SAR's economy is gradually recovering and the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in Macao have improved in the past year thanks to the support of the central government and the mainland as well as hard work from all walks of the Macao society led by the SAR government.

The commissioner's office will continue to firmly support the chief executive and the SAR government to govern in accordance with the law and to expand exchanges and cooperation with countries in the world, particularly Portuguese-speaking countries, and firmly oppose interference of external forces in Macao affairs, Liu said.