Aerial photo taken on July 23, 2020 shows a view of the new city of Cotai in Macao. [Photo/Xinhua]

Long-term adherence to historical, cultural and patriotic education has played a key role in cultivating a sense of belonging to the motherland among people in Macao, especially the youth, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee said on Monday.

In the past two decades since its return to China, the Macao Special Administrative Region has witnessed rapid economic growth and great improvement in its people's livelihood, said Wu Zhiliang, chairman of the executive committee of the Macao Foundation and a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

He said that patriotism, a love for the city and sincere support for the Communist Party of China are abundant in all walks of life in Macao.

"This is the result of Macao's long-term adherence to historical, cultural and patriotic education. It has made Macao compatriots, especially young people, understand at an early age the answers to the two fundamental questions of 'where I come from and who I am'," he said.

Wu recalled the experience of holding an exhibition on the centenary of the founding of the CPC last year. He said the foundation has held hundreds of exhibitions over the past 30 years, but none was as moving as the CPC's exhibition.

"As soon as the reservation system opened, the phone started ringing off the hook. More than 43,000 visitors, accounting for 6 percent of Macao's population, visited the exhibition in 23 days, which truly reflected the sincere support of Macao compatriots for the CPC," Wu said.

The exhibition has also strengthened Macao residents' systematic understanding of China's modern history and the glorious history of the CPC over the past 100 years, and it has solidified the political foundation of Macao society, he said.

"I believe that with patriotic education and national identity, Macao will better integrate into the overall development of the country and become more prosperous and stable."