Ho Iat-seng, member of Standing Committee of National People's Congress, speaks to media during the meeting of Macao Deputy to the National People's Congress of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 10, 2016. (ROY LIU / CHINA DAILY)

MACAO - Ho Iat-seng, president of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Legislative Assembly, announced on Tuesday his formal decision to run for the office of the fifth chief executive of the Macao SAR.

At a press conference held on Tuesday to declare his formal decision, Ho said over the past 20 years since Macao's return to the motherland, the "one country, two systems" policy has been practiced in Macao with rapid development and achievements.

The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Belt and Road Initiative have provided Macao opportunities for development. Macao should seek advantages, opportunities and development through reform and innovation, he added.

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If elected, he said he would carry out his duties in strict accordance with the motherland's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, and implement the principles of "one country, two systems," "Macao people administering Macao" with a high degree of autonomy in an all-round and accurate manner.

Ho was born in Macao in June 1957 and once 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 has been a deputy of China's National People's Congress (NPC) and a member of the NPC Standing Committee.

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In April 2019, Ho announced his preliminary decision to run for the election and submitted his resignation to the NPC Standing Committee, which then accepted his resignation.

The election of the fifth chief executive of the Macao SAR will be held on Aug 25, 2019.