The government of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China holds a grand flag raising ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of its return to the motherland at Golden Lotus Square. [Photo: China Plus/ Liu Libin]

The government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China held a grand flag raising ceremony Wednesday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of its return to the motherland at Golden Lotus Square.

The government of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China holds a grand flag raising ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of its return to the motherland at Golden Lotus Square. [Photo: China Plus/ Liu Libin]

Macao SAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On, head of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR Zheng Xiaosong and other major officials attended the ceremony.

The government of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China holds a grand flag raising ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of its return to the motherland at Golden Lotus Square. [Photo: China Plus/ Liu Libin]

The Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao in 1999 as special administrative region after over 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule.