The Macao Special Administration Region (SAR) government announced Friday that it will send an ad hoc group to the quake-hit Sichuan Province in the Chinese Mainland to coordinate Macao's participation in the reconstruction of the province.

According to a press statement of the SAR government, the group, headed by the SAR's Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Chui Sai On, will leave for Sichuan on August 16, and will stay there until August 18.

The SAR government also said that the group will review the rebuilding projects supported by the SAR.

Previously, Chui said that the SAR government is in close contact with the Sichuan provincial government, and will soon release the general outlay of these projects.

Macao has already sent three medical teams to the quake- stricken area for relief operations respectively on May, June and July this year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2008)