President Hu Jintao's letter to Macao young people, which encourages them to cherish their time and contribute their wisdom and strength to the development of Macao and the motherland, was conveyed at a ceremony by Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Edmund Ho Hau Wah Monday.

President Hu wrote in reply to Chong Cheng Cheng and her schoolmates of an English interest course in the Macao Workers' Children High School, thanking them for writing him a letter and sending him an exquisite self-made greeting card ahead of China's Lunar New Year.

The president expected Macao young people to grow up to be talents needed by the society.

Macao Chief Executive Ho came to the school Monday morning to convey the president's letter.

On behalf of all schoolmates of the English interest course of Grade One, Chong Cheng Cheng received the letter from the chief executive and read out the letter to her schoolmates.

President Hu said in the letter that from the students' letter to him, he felt their sincere love for the motherland and Macao as well as their aspirations to study hard in a bid to make contributions to building the motherland and Macao in the future.

"I'm very happy to read your letter, which reminds me of the memorable moment, when I were with you during my trip to Macao two months ago," said the president.

Hu paid a two-day trip to Macao in December last year to attend the celebration gathering marking the 5th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the inauguration of the second-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). He had a happy time with students in Chong's school, where he was warmly received by students and teachers.

Hu said since Macao's return to the motherland, Macao has enjoyed social harmony and stability and continued economic growth, with its people having lived in peace and contentment.

He said he believed that "so long as we adhere to the basic principles of 'One Country, Two Systems' and 'Macao people governing Macao' with a high degree of autonomy and Macao people unite closely and make unremitting efforts with the support of the central government, Macao will have a brighter future."

Hu told the students that they are at their life's full flowering and that the nation has placed great hope for the future on them. He said he hoped the Macao students and young people will carry on patriotism and love for Macao, cherish their time to study hard, cultivate fine moral character, foster high aspirations, turn themselves into talents needed by the society, prepare themselves for contributing their wisdom and strength to building a better Macao and a better motherland.

Edmund Ho Hau Wah said at the letter-conveying ceremony that the president's letter is of great importance to Chong, her schoolmates as well as all young people in Macao.

Ho urged Macao young people to study hard and make full preparations for building a better Macao and motherland in the future, as required by the president in the letter.

Xu Ze, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, and representatives of the teachers and students of the Macao Workers' Children High School attended the letter-conveying ceremony.