Premier Wen Jiabao signed Decree No. 414 of the State Council, or the Chinese central government, reappointing Edmund Ho Hau Wah the chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Ho's second term as Macao SAR chief executive will begin on December 20, 2004.

Premier Wen signed the decree after the State Council decided on Ho's reappointment at Wednesday's plenary meeting attended by Vice Premiers Huang Ju, Wu Yi, Zeng Peiyan, and all state councilors.

In reappointing Ho, the State Council acted in accordance with the wishes of Macao's 300-member Election Committee. Ho was the only candidate, receiving 296 votes in favor and three abstentions from the 299 members of the committee who voted Sunday morning.

The Court of Final Appeal in the Macao SAR Wednesday confirmed the outcome of the Election Committee's ballot for Macao's second chief executive.

The State Council officially reappointed Ho after deliberating over a report submitted by the Macao SAR government and a report on the process of the election submitted by Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

"The election process fully complies with the Basic Law and other relevant laws of the Macao SAR," said Wen.

Wen, acknowledged that the selection of Ho as chief executive of Macao SAR represents another major practice in the implementation of the principles of "one country, two systems," and "Macao people governing Macao" with a "high-degree of autonomy."

With the support of the central government, Ho led Macao to map out socio-economic development policies in an active, enterprising and practical manner, added Wen.

According to Wen, Ho has steadily advanced various reforms, and gone all out to improve social security and reinforce Macao's cooperation with the mainland and strengthen its international communication. Under Ho's leadership, Macao has realized social stability, a secure and comfortable life for its residents and sustainable, fast economic development, he said.

He said that Ho's reappointment will be conducive to Macao's prosperity and stability and to the further advancement of "one country, two systems."

Born in 1955 in Macao, Edmund Ho Hau Wah is the son of Macao's famously patriotic businessman Ho Yin. The junior Ho went abroad to study at the age of 13. He graduated from the Business Management Department of York University in Toronto, Canada in 1978 and became a certified accountant and an auditor in Canada in1981.

Ho returned to Macao to take over his family business, working as the general manager of Tai Fung Bank, and quickly emerged as a renowned banker.

He was elected as the first chief executive of the Macao SAR onMay 15, 1999 with the support of 82 percent of the Election Committee. Since taking office on Dec. 20, 1999, Ho has demonstrated his political wisdom and a pragmatic working style, which have been widely acclaimed by all walks of life in Macao.

Ho and his wife Tatiana Lau have one son and one daughter.

(Xinhua News Agency Sepetember 2, 2004)