MACAO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday held the opening ceremony of a series of national security education activities.

China's National Security Education Day is observed annually on April 15.

Jointly hosted by the Macao SAR government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, this year's activities took the theme "Coordinating Development and Security: Safeguarding the New Journey of the 15th Five-Year Plan."

As introduced by the Macao SAR government, the lineup includes key events such as a national security education exhibition and a public screening of national security-themed films. The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge through May 15.

Addressing the occasion, Macao SAR Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said that safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the highest principle of the "one country, two systems" and the solid foundation for Macao's socio-economic development. He noted that the SAR government will implement a holistic approach to national security, continuously improve Macao's legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security, strengthen security capabilities across all sectors, and modernize systems.

Zheng Xincong, director of the liaison office, expressed hope that the Macao SAR government will unite and lead all sectors of society to implement a holistic approach to national security, actively fulfill the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and steadily advance the modernization of the national security system and capacity, working together to build a higher level of a safe and secure Macao. ■