Top national legislator promotes education as he completes visit

National education should be given a prominent place in the Macao Special Administrative Region because it gives young people a sense of belonging and encourages a love for the country and the city, China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang said on Wednesday.

Zhang, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, also advised youth in the SAR to be "builders" of the one country, two systems principle.

He made the remarks when meeting with some 100 representatives of Macao's educators and college students before wrapping up his three-day inspection visit.

Macao has achieved remarkable results in the 17 years since the handover in 1999; education has played a vital role in this, Zhang said.

He praised the SAR government, as well as those working in the education sector, saying they had adhered to people-oriented education policies, and had invested in educational development.

Zhang said Macao's achievements include 15 years of compulsory education, promoting Basic Law education in schools and establishing the Centre for Chinese History and Culture at the University of Macau. In 2009, the central government approved leasing 1.09 square kilometers of land on Hengqin Island in Zhuhai to the university to expand its campus, which originally covered only 0.054 square kilometers. This illustrated the success of one country, two systems, Zhang said.

He also expressed his expectations for educators in the city. "The ultimate goal for education is to make a contribution to society," Zhang said. Only through education can the young receive a rounded and intensive knowledge of their society, be more tolerant of different opinions, and become a core force to develop the city, he added.

Zhang said that in the modern world, many ideas circulate in society. "Educators should keep students from getting biased and carried along by them," Zhang urged. One should foster their ability to think and analyze, teaching young people to look at the country with a historical view and in light of its development, Zhang said.

He encouraged Macao's young people to develop broader horizons, concentrating not only on the SAR, but also on the country and the world - even the universe.

Zhang encouraged the SAR's youth to have frequent exchanges with mainland youth, and seize opportunities created by the Belt and Road Initiative and State-level Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area blueprint.

Darren Leong Keng-lon, president of the Students Union of UM, who attended the Wednesday meeting, said he was "encouraged and inspired" by Zhang's speech.

A third-year student in civil engineering, Leong said he has seen big changes in mainland communities from exchange programs in Guizhou province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

He said Macao students had many exchange opportunities. UM alone sends about 30 exchange groups to the mainland every year, Leong said.

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