President Xi Jinping stressed on Friday long-term adherence to "one country, two systems" and urged Macao to continue with efforts to diversify its economy, as he addressed a gathering in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

Speaking to an audience of more than 1,000 people in a major sports stadium in Macao, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, praised the tremendous success of practicing "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics over the past years.

"The great achievements of Macao since its return to the motherland have proven to the world that the cause of 'one country, two systems', with its distinctive institutional strengths and strong vitality, is a good system that sustains the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao," he said.

Xi said that it is a good system that serves the noble cause of building a stronger country and achieving national rejuvenation, and a good system that helps realize peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between different social systems.

The values of peace, inclusiveness, openness and sharing embodied in "one country, two systems" are common to China and the rest of the world, and deserve to be jointly safeguarded, he added.

Macao and its neighbor Hong Kong are China's two special administrative regions governed under the "one country, two systems" policy since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over them following long periods of Portuguese and British rule, respectively. The policy allows them to maintain their capitalist systems and ways of life within socialist China.

With China entering a crucial period of advancing Chinese modernization, Xi said the policy has entered a new stage and will contribute more to Hong Kong and Macao's development and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR, said that President Xi's speech reiterates his support for Hong Kong and Macao joining hands to drive future progress from a new and higher vantage point, offers a crystal clear direction for future development, and further illuminates the path forward for the two regions.

On Friday, Sam Hou-fai, a 62-year-old former senior judge, was sworn in as the sixth-term chief executive of the Macao SAR, in a ceremony officiated by Xi.

Speaking at the gathering, Xi urged the new Macao government to promote the appropriate diversification of the local economy, improve governance efficiency, build a platform for higher-level opening-up, and safeguard social harmony and stability.

"It should be noted that the central authorities' decision to develop Hengqin is aimed at promoting appropriate economic diversification in Macao and facilitating the life and work of Macao residents," Xi said, cautioning that sectors and projects deviating from this purpose must be avoided.

Macao was once labeled a "casino city" for its dominant gaming industry, but that situation is changing as the city makes efforts to appropriately diversify its economy.

Hengqin, located at the southern tip of Guangdong province's Zhuhai and separated from Macao by a stretch of water, is an important platform for promoting the appropriate and diversified development of Macao's economy.

Xi said that Macao's role has been strengthened as a world tourism and leisure center, a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and a base for exchanges and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist.

Stressing that Macao should position itself accurately and focus on the priorities, Xi urged the region to cultivate new industries with global competitiveness and pool talent from all over the world.

According to Xi, Macao, as "a shining pearl on the coast of the South China Sea and a treasured place of the great motherland", has played a crucial role in history in facilitating exchanges between China and the rest of the world.

For example, many Chinese classics were translated to foreign languages in Macao and then introduced to the West, while a significant amount of Western modern science, technology and culture has been transmitted to the mainland through the region.

He called on Macao to keep expanding two-way opening-up, promote cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries and actively participate in high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Almas Seitakynov, consul general of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong and Macao, said Macao's deepening involvement in the BRI will create more opportunities for his country's cooperation with the SAR and the mainland in many areas.

"We heard from the Chinese president's speech that Macao will give a focus for Belt and Road countries. We are ready, as I mentioned, to develop our cooperation," he said.

Xi also encouraged Macao to make good use of its East-meets-West culture to promote international people-to-people exchanges, better introduce Macao and China to the world, and build itself into a key portal for the exchange and mutual learning of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Zhu Haisheng, secretary-general of the Macau Economic and Livelihood Alliance, said that Macao not only preserves and carries forward the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also actively embraces and blends elements of Western culture.

"Such cultural fusion not only enriches the life of Macao's residents but also elevates its global influence," he said.

In his speech, Xi also stressed the role of young people as the hope and future of Macao and an energetic force in building Macao and the country.

The government and the whole society of the SAR should care more about young people and create better conditions for their development and accomplishment, he said.

Xi expressed his hope that the young people will set lofty goals and make solid efforts to be the builders and successors of "one country, two systems".

Nina Si, secretary-general of the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau, said that young people in Macao are fully capable of helping the region to diversify its economic development.

After wrapping up his three-day visit to Macao, Xi left the SAR on Friday.