Presided over by the Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, the Opening Ceremony of the Judicial Year 2016/2017, was held at the Macao Cultural Centre at 3:30pm on 19 October 2016. During the event, the President of the Court of Final Appeal, Sam Hou Fai, the Prosecutor General, Ip Son Sang, and the President of the Board of Directors of the Macau Lawyers Association, Jorge Neto Valente delivered their speeches. Also present were all local judges, prosecutors and lawyers.

The law stipulates that the solemn and dignified opening ceremony of the judicial year held annually officially marks the commencement of a new judicial year of the Macao Special Administrative Region. Other guests invited were representatives of organizations of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, representatives of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the President of the Legislative Assembly, principal officials, members of the Executive Council, Legislative Assembly, Council of Judicial Magistrates, Prosecutors' Committee and Independent Commission on the Recommendation of Judges, as well as representatives of local government departments.

The Basic Law provides that the Court and the Public Prosecutions Office of the Macao SAR are judiciary organs, which shall exercise their respective judicial and prosecutorial powers independently. The opening ceremony of a judicial year, co-organized by the Court and the Public Prosecutions Office, symbolizes the resolution of the two organs in continuing to fulfil their statutory duties and delivering quality judicial services in the upcoming judicial year.