Members of an ad hoc group of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Friday left here for China's Sichuan province, where they will sign agreements with the provincial government on six reconstruction projects in the quake-hit province.

Headed by the SAR's Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Chui Sai On, the members of the ad hoc group will hold meetings with the Sichuan provincial officials, discussing and reviewing the working plans for this year and Sichuan's requests to shorten the reconstruction period from five years to three years.

The 8.0-magnitude quake centered in Sichuan's Wenchuan County, which took place on May 12 last year, left more than 69,000 people dead, 374,000 injured, 18,000 missing and millions homeless, according to official statistics.

The government of Macao SAR has already signed agreements with the Sichuan provincial government, under which the SAR will finance the reconstruction projects in the quake-stricken province located in southwestern China. According to the agreements, Macao SAR will spend an amount of 5.5 billion patacas (688 million U.S. dollars) funding the rebuilding projects in some counties of Sichuan.

Before departing Macao, Chui told the press that the members of the ad hoc group have already made on-the-spot surveys in Sichuan for several times before, and after preliminary assessment, they decided to sign agreements on six reconstruction projects with Sichuan this time.

After arriving at Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, the ad hoc group will visit Guanyuan, a Sichuan city which was severely damaged by the quake. The group will also examine and review local tourism so as to boost cooperation between the two sides. The group will stay in Sichuan until Jan. 20.

Source: Xinhua