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MACAO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The year of 2008 saw China make several great achievements in various fields, which is a testimony to the nation's improving comprehensive national strength, the chief of Macao said at a reception held here on Wednesday to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Attracting worldwide attention, the Chinese mainland successfully held the Beijing Olympics and the Paralympics in the past two months, while taking great steps in its space exploration history by accomplishing the Shenzhou VII mission that saw the first spacewalk by a Chinese astronaut, Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Special Administration Region (SAR), said when addressing over 1,000 officials and luminaries at the cocktail party.

He also pointed out that China showed profound and strong vigorand demonstrated its national spirit, when the whole nation mustered up its concerted effort to brave the challenge of massive snowstorms that swept several provinces and the powerful earthquake occurred in the Sichuan province that led to a large number of deaths.

The party was part of the annual events held on China's National Day every year. The chief executive officiated a flag-raising ceremony at the city's Lotus Flower Square early Wednesday morning, and later met more than 40 young people from the quake-hit Sichuan province, who assisted the rescue of victims in the disaster area.

Since this year will also witness the 30th anniversary of China' s reform and opening-up, Ho noted that after undergoing numerous challenges and overcoming various difficulties in the past three decades, the nation entered a new era of its development. "Being a Chinese, we all take great pride in it," he said

Regarding the nine years after the SAR's establishment, Ho concluded that behind every step of the SAR's development, there was the all-out support from the central government, and the SAR also closely kept pace with the development and construction of the mainland, in a bid to strengthen its ties with the mainland people.

Next year will not only witness the 60th founding anniversary of PRC, but the 10th anniversary of the SAR. Ho said that the SAR government will continue promoting Macao's development and progress, bettering people's lives and sharing the fruits of the development.