MACAO - The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government said on Saturday that it firmly supports the decision of the central government to safeguard national security.

The Macao SAR government was responding to a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security which has been submitted to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) for deliberation.

The Macao SAR government said national security is the cornerstone for bringing peace and stability to the country and plays a critical role in ensuring the country's long-term peace and stability and maintaining the long-term prosperity, development and stability of the Hong Kong SAR and the Macao SAR.

Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the sacred obligation and due responsibility of the Chinese people, including the majority of Hong Kong and Macao citizens, it said.

Since its return to the motherland, all walks of life in Macao have firmly fulfilled the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security stipulated in the Constitution and the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, it said.

The Macao SAR government and citizens have joined hands to ensure that the SAR enjoy social stability, economic prosperity and development, and that people live and work in peace and contentment, it said.

Facts have proven that safeguarding national security is the precondition and the foundation for Macao to maintain stability and keep developing, it added.