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The highest Chinese representative in Macao died Saturday night after falling from the building where he lived, the Chinese government said on Sunday.
Zheng Xiaosong, the head of China's Liaison Office in Macao, was suffering from depression, the Chinese State Council Office in Hong Kong and Macao said in a statement, adding that Beijing government representatives traveled to Macao to offer his condolences. The statement does not further specify the circumstances of his death.
Zheng, 59, was named to Macau in September 2017 and is a member of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party, China's largest governing body. He was previously vice-governor of the Fujian Coast Province in the south-east of the country.
The Liaison Office in Macao serves as a bridge between the local government and Beijing and has a growing influence on local affairs.
Like Hong Kong, neighboring country, Macau is governed by the Chinese "one country, two systems" policy and is headed by a general manager, who is chosen after an election but must obtain the Beijing approval to formally take office.
Macao CEO Fernando Chui said in a statement that he was "shocked" by Zheng's death and offered his condolences. Hong Kong Executive Director Carrie Lam also issued a statement in which she expresses "deep sorrow" after Zheng's death.
A statement released Friday on the Macau Liaison Office website showed that Zheng had met with the head of a think tank the day before his death. During the meeting, he stressed the importance of supporting the local government and the country, two systems, to ensure the continued development of Macau, the statement said.
