Edmund Ho Hau Wah

何厚铧

1955–present

Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region (1999–2009)

Biography

Edmund Ho Hau Wah (born 1955) is a Macau-born banker and politician who served as the first Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region from 1999 to 2009. He was sworn into office at the handover ceremony on 20 December 1999, becoming the first leader of Macau following the end of Portuguese administration and its return to the People's Republic of China. During his tenure he oversaw the liberalisation of the gaming industry in 2002, which admitted foreign casino operators and drove rapid economic expansion; he also advanced infrastructure development and in 2005 successfully secured UNESCO World Heritage status for the Historic Centre of Macau.

Related Events (1)

1999-12-20

Macau Handover to China

Portugal transferred sovereignty over Macau to the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999, after more than 440 years of Portuguese administration; Macau was established as a Special Administrative Region of the PRC under the "one country, two systems" framework.

diplomatic