Sam Hou Fai, the former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, was sworn in as the special administrative region's sixth chief executive, with President Xi Jinping urging him to drive moderate diversification away from gaming.
Sam succeeds Ho Iat Seng on the 25th anniversary of Macao's handover to China. His inauguration came alongside celebrations marking a quarter-century of "one country, two systems" in the territory.
In his inaugural address, Sam committed to accelerating the so-called "1+4" strategy, balancing the dominant casino sector with finance, traditional Chinese medicine, technology, and conventions and exhibitions.
Macao's gaming industry, the world's largest by revenue before the pandemic, has rebounded strongly through 2024, but Beijing has been pressing for a less concentrated economic base for years.