A photo exhibition marking the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland opened in Beijing on Tuesday, showing visitors the rapid development and unique cultural landscape of the city in the past 25 years.
Themed "Dazzling Lights and Shadows, Dreaming Macao," the exhibition features more than 120 photographic works taken by Macao photographer Chan Hin Io since 1999.
"The photo we see here was taken on the day of Macao's return to the motherland on December 20, 1999. It is meaningful for me to witness Macao's return in 1999. You know, as a Chinese, I was really proud to witness the history of Macao's return to the motherland at that moment," he said.
Inspired by the exciting Macao's return to the motherland, Chan began to record the changes of the city with cameras in 1999.
"Since the return, the development of Macao has driven the prosperity and development of the surrounding areas. In this photo, we can see Hengqin. The upper photo shows the mountainous area of Hengqin in 2012, prepared for development. In the photo below, you can see the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The construction of Hengqin has also provided important support and guarantee for the development and construction of Macao," he said.
Chan said his photographs recorded unimaginable development taking place in Macao.
"Regarding the changes in Macao over the past 20 years since the return, to be honest, it is hard for me to imagine such a pace of development when I took photos in the past," he said.
The exhibition aims to show the steady progress in Macao since its return and enable people to further understand the successful practice of "One Country, Two Systems" in the region, according to the organizers.
"The 120-plus photos show Macao's progress and changes in the past 25 years since its return. The photos epitomize the changes of the city and our people's life in the 25 years. We can read beautiful Macao stories from them," said Tong Ka Lok, vice president of the Macao University of Science and Technology, one of the organizers.
Photo exhibition marking 25th anniversary of Macao's return to motherland opens in Beijing
