Category Archives: Macau

I once met a guy who used to work as a lifeguard in an idyllic beach site. Although you would expect him to just sing the praises of such a dream position, the truth, according to him, is that the fact that he was confined to about a 50 meters area from his lifeguard seat for hours was enough to drive him crazy.

So, no matter how pleasant and comfortable the location, if you are not allowed the freedom to leave, it doesnt feel that idyllic after all.

We had some minor developments in our dear city on policies that could allow some people to leave Macau, but still far from enough to make us feel like were not left stranded in this small rock in the Pearl River Delta.

Last week health authorities noted that Macau residents could apply for a possible exemption to a 14-day medical observation in Zhuhai for business reasons, political affairs, or special reasons, with little information about what special would represent.

Prior to this new exemption system, Macau residents who live in Zhuhai but work in Macau who hold a Zhuhai residence permit, local students and teachers who live in Zhuhai, and non-resident workers holding a Zhuhai ID card or residence permit could already be exempt from quarantine.

Demand was so high that, in a few days, almost 5,500 requests were submitted in the governments online platform. However, it seems that for most residents crossing the border to eat some spicy noodles or stroll around in Qinglu Road, is special enough to warrant an application?

I cant say I blame them. However, Zhuhai authorities dont seem to share the same view.

Still, applications have to be submitted five days prior to the intended travel date, with the Macau government evaluating applications on a case-by-case basis, and then forward their recommendations to the Zhuhai authorities for consideration.

If approved, then the applicant still needs to test negative in a COVID-19 nucleic acid test, a result only valid for seven days.

At this point, local residents must feel they had to jump through so many hoops, they might as well be a circus animal.

At least a special ferry service between Taipa Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong International Airport, operating between June 17th and July 16th, was also announced, giving people stranded in the city or outside for months at least an opportunity to return to wherever they prefer.

The truth is that progress is still slow between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau to establish the much anticipated travel bubble, with citizens in the region able to move freely between borders.

We have been hearing repeatedly about Greater Bay Area cooperation between regions, so you would expect the process to be smoother than how it has progressed. Its true that such decisions will depend on Central Government authorization, but if the three regions managed to get their act together and cooperate, certainly it could progress.

Meanwhile, the hotel and gaming sector agonizes with empty tables and rooms, with a food and beverage sector not much better, despite the MOP2.1 billion consumer e-card injection.

Because the hard truth of the COVID-19 pandemic restriction measures all over the world, you can say we are all in this together all you want, but if you are a restaurant waiter in a touristic area, youre certainly not dealing with the crisis the same as a website programmer.

Thankfully, and with great effort by local health authorities and residents, Macau has not reported any new COVID-19 cases for 65 consecutive days.

Other countries and regions have shown its possible to re-open borders and economies safely, so lets all cheers that the Greater Bay Area, that new beacon of regional cooperation, can do the same.

MNA Editor-in-Chief

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OPINION - The gilded cage - Macau Business

Its safe to say that law enforcement departments around the world are smart enough to keep tabs on certain individuals who have been linked to major crimes. Even if arrested, put in jail and then set free, they wont be able to do much of anything without someone knowing about it. The arrest of the operator of a long-time illegal gambling outfit in China has led to police swooping in to nab others who were involved, following the criminals trails to uncover the expansive organization he was leading. So far, 18 people with ties to the illegal criminal syndicate and over 100 gamblers have been arrested in Nantong, China, all part of what the city is calling the largest organized gambling ring it has come across locally.

The man pulling the strings has a last name of Shi, according to Nantongs Public Security Bureau. The individual was responsible for organizing and running an illegal gambling ring that has been in place since at least 2007, and which had helped mainland Chinese gamble in Macau. It had also facilitated loans and accounts to keep them going, collecting commissions off of profits and interest off of loans.

Things started to unravel in April 2018 when Shi was initially arrested. His capture followed an investigation that reportedly lasted seven months after he and his cohorts were identified as being the faces behind several accounts at casinos in Macau that were used by the gamblers. Police also uncovered an online gaming club that Shi was operating in Haimen, China where players could wager over the Internet or phone.

For his efforts, Shi had amassed around $4.7 million that was identified, but there was potentially much more not uncovered. Whenever someone couldnt pay his debt, Shi would reportedly go after the gambler, using violence and/or kidnappings to recover the money. There is no indication of how many victims may have been forced in such a way to pay up, or if any of his customers didnt survive their ordeal.

Shi finally went before a judge almost a year after his arrest. Evidence was presented from investigations that were conducted in Macau and Jiangsu, Guangdong, Hebei and Shangdong on the mainland, and the Nantong Intermediate Peoples Court handed down its ruling earlier this year. Shi will now get to spend 16 years behind bars for illegal gambling, running an illicit casino and unlawful detention, and will also have to pay a fine of $17.4 million. It isnt clear what punishments befell his cohorts.

Read more:

Chinese police bust massive illegal gambling op with ties to Macau - CalvinAyre.com

The return of Italian football was a hit with television viewers in the country as more than eight million tuned in to watch the cup semi-final second leg between Juventus and AC Milan on Friday.

The match was the first to be played in Italy since the coronavirus pandemic halted the season on March 9.

The 0-0 stalemate, which was enough to send Juventus to the final, drew the biggest TV audience for a football match this term, Italian media reported on Saturday.

When he authorised the resumption of football, Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora welcomed the fact the first matches would be in the Italian Cup, as they are broadcast free-to-air on national network RAI and are thus accessible to everyone.

On Friday, the match attracted almost 8.3 million viewers on RAI 1, with a 34 per cent market share.

The biggest audience before the lockdown was for the first legof the semi-final which ended 1-1 attracted 8.09 million viewers.

The national team, whose matches are also broadcast free-to-air on RAI, attracted 7.4 million viewers for their Euro 2020 qualifier against Bosnia last June.

Read this article:

More than 8 million Italians tune in as football returns - Macau Business

Criminal Penalties:You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Drugs: Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Macau are severe.

ID: Police have the right to take you in for questioning if you are not carrying your passport.

Photography: You may be detained if you take pictures of certain buildings (please pay attention to no photography signs in casinos in particular).

DUI: Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs could land you immediately in jail.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. For examples, see our website oncrimes against minors abroadand theDepartment of Justicewebsite.

Arrest Notification:If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Consulate General immediately. Macau authorities regularly notify the Consulate if they know that a U.S. citizen has been detained or arrested. See ourwebpagefor further information.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Currency:There are no currency restrictions for tourists in Macau. Pataca is the official currency in Macau. Hong Kong currency is commonly used and widely accepted in transactions. Credit cards and ATM network debit cards are widely accepted in Macau. Banks and major hotels accept traveler's checks.

Customs Regulations: Macau customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Macau of items such as firearms, ivory, certain categories of medications, and other goods. Please see theMacau Customs Servicewebsite for further information.

Macau customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning controlled items you might be carrying while transiting or entering Macau. If you bring controlled items into Macau without the necessary Macau documents, you may be prosecuted and the goods may be seized. The penalty for trafficking in dangerous drugs can be life imprisonment and a heavy fine.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of controlled and/or prohibited items:

For more information on bringing controlled items into Macau please contact theMacau Customs Service at +(853) 2855-9944 orinfo@customs.gov.mo.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection encourages the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes.

For additional information, please visit theU.S. Council for International Business websiteand the U.S. Customs and Border Protection web page onTraveling with Samples.

Please see ourU.S. Customs Informationsheet for general information.

Importation into the United States of counterfeit items is prohibited by U.S. law. Please see ourU.S. Customs Informationsheet.

Dual Nationality:Dual nationality is not recognized underPRC nationality law. Be mindful of the following special circumstances for dual nationals when traveling in the region.

Enter Macau on your U.S. passportto ensure the U.S. Consulate General can provide consular assistance in case of arrest or other emergency.

Your child will be considered a PRC citizenif one or both of the parents are Chinese nationals regardless of U.S. citizenship.

If traveling onward to mainland China, enter China on your U.S. passport to ensure U.S. consular protection. SeeChina Country Specific Informationfor more information.

For further information on consular protection anddual nationality, please refer to our website.

Faith-Based Travelers:See our following webpages for details:

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Macau. See ourLGBTI Travel Informationpage and section 6 of ourHuman Rights reportfor further details.

Pets:You must have a permit to bring dogs and cats into Macau. Additionalinformation on importing pets is available directly from theMacau Customs Service at +(853) 2855-9944 orinfo@customs.gov.mo.

Typhoons: During the typhoon season (July through September),theMacau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureauissues typhoon warnings an average of six times a year. The Bureau has a good notification and monitoring system. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from theU.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance:Macau law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision of other state services. The government generally enforces these provisions. The law mandates access to public buildings, usually in the form of a ramp, for persons with physical disabilities. Crosswalks are also required in Macau, and they generally include audible signals for hearing-impaired and raised-treading for visually-impaired pedestrians. Handicap-accessible parking is mandated in publically-owned parking lots. TheSocial Welfare Bureauis primarily responsible for coordinating and funding public assistance programs to persons with disabilities.

For Macau residents who are mobility impaired, theSocial Welfare Bureauoffers free transportation to medical appointments by accessible van through theCaritas Rehabusor theRed Cross Medical Transfer Service. Accessible van rental and Macau tours for the mobility impaired are available throughViagens Acessiveis(tel. +(853) 2840-3315, email:barrierfreemacau@gmail.com.

Students:See ourStudents Abroadpage andFBI travel tips.

Women Travelers: See our travel tips forWomen Travelers.

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Macau International Travel Information

Macau SAR history

Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. In 1557 it was leased to Portugal as a trading post in exchange for an annual rent of 500 tael in order to stay in Macau, it remained under Chinese sovereignty and authority until 1887, the Portuguese came to consider and administer it as a de facto colony. Following the signing of the Treaty of Nanking between China and Britain in 1842, and the signing of treaties between China and foreign powers during the 1860s, establishing the benefit of "the most favoured nation" for them, the Portuguese attempted to conclude a similar treaty in 1862, but the Chinese refused, owing to a misunderstanding over the sovereignty of Macau. In 1887 the Portuguese finally managed to secure an agreement from China that Macao was Portuguese territory.[1] In 1999 it was handed over to China. Macau was the last extant European territory in continental Asia.

The human history of Macau stretches back up to 6,000 years, and includes many different and diverse civilisations and periods of existence. Evidence of human and culture dating back 4,000 to 6,000 years has been discovered on the Macau Peninsula and dating back 5,000 years on Coloane Island.[citation needed]

During the Qin Dynasty (221206 BC), the region was under the jurisdiction of Panyu County, Nanhai Prefecture of the province of Guangdong.[2] [3][4] The region is first known to have been settled during the Han dynasty.[5] It was administratively part of Dongguan Prefecture in the Jin dynasty (265420 AD), and alternated under the control of Nanhai and Dongguan in later dynasties.[4][6]

Since the 5th century, merchant ships travelling between Southeast Asia and Guangzhou used the region as a port for refuge, fresh water, and food.[citation needed] In 1152, during the Song dynasty (9601279 AD), it was under the jurisdiction of the new Xiangshan County.[2][3][6] In 1277, approximately 50,000 refugees fleeing the Mongol conquest of China settled in the coastal area.[4][6][7][4]

Mong H has long been the center of Chinese life in Macau and the site of what may be the region's oldest temple, a shrine devoted to the Buddhist Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy).[citation needed] Later in the Ming dynasty (13681644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from various parts of Guangdong and Fujian provinces and built the A-Ma Temple where they prayed for safety on the sea. The Hoklo Boat people were the first to show interest in Macau as a trading centre for the southern provinces. However, Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.[7]

During the age of discovery Portuguese sailors explored the coasts of Africa and Asia. The sailors later established posts at Goa in 1510, and conquered Malacca in 1511, driving the Sultan to the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula from where he kept making raids on the Portuguese. The Portuguese under Jorge lvares landed at Lintin Island in the Pearl River Delta of China in 1513 with a hired junk sailing from Portuguese Malacca. They erected a stone marker at Lintin Island claiming it for the King of Portugal, Manuel I. In the same year, the Indian Viceroy Afonso de Albuquerque commissioned Rafael Perestrello a cousin of Christopher Columbus to sail to China in order to open up trade relations. Rafael traded with the Chinese merchants in Guangzhou in that year and in 1516, but was not allowed to move further.

Portugal's king Manuel I in 1517 commissioned a diplomatic and trade mission to Guangzhou headed by Tom Pires and Ferno Pires de Andrade. The embassy lasted until the death of the Zhengde Emperor in Nanjing. The embassy was further rejected by the Chinese Ming court, which now became less interested in new foreign contacts. The Ming Court was also influenced by reports of misbehaviour of Portuguese elsewhere in China, and by the deposed Sultan of Malacca seeking Chinese assistance to drive the Portuguese out of Malacca.

In 1521 and 1522 several more Portuguese ships reached the trading island Tamo off the coast near Guangzhou, but were driven away by the now hostile Ming authorities. Pires was imprisoned and died in Canton.

Good relations between the Portuguese and Chinese Ming dynasty resumed in the 1540s, when Portuguese aided China in eliminating coastal pirates. The two later began annual trade missions to the offshore Shangchuan Island in 1549. A few years later, Lampacau Island, closer to the Pearl River Delta, became the main base of the Portuguese trade in the region.[8]

Diplomatic relations were further improved and salvaged by the Leonel de Sousa agreement with Cantonese authorities in 1554. In 1557, the Ming court finally gave consent for a permanent and official Portuguese trade base at Macau. In 1558, Leonel de Sousa became the second Portuguese Governor of Macau.

They later built some rudimentary stone-houses around the area now called Nam Van. But not until 1557 did the Portuguese establish a permanent settlement in Macau, at an annual rent of 500 taels (~20 kilograms (44lb)) of silver.[9] Later that year, the Portuguese established a walled village there. Ground rent payments began in 1573. China retained sovereignty and Chinese residents were subject to Chinese law, but the territory was under Portuguese administration. In 1582 a land lease was signed, and annual rent was paid to Xiangshan County.[citation needed] The Portuguese continued to pay an annual tribute up to 1863 in order to stay in Macau.[10]

The Portuguese often married Tanka women since Han Chinese women would not have relations with them. Some of the Tanka's descendants became Macanese people. Some Tanka children were enslaved by Portuguese raiders.[11] The Chinese poet Wu Li wrote a poem, which included a line about the Portuguese in Macau being supplied with fish by the Tanka.[12][13][14][15]

After the Portuguese were allowed to permanently settle in Macau, both Chinese and Portuguese merchants flocked to Macau, although the Portuguese were never numerous (numbering just 900 in 1583 and 1200 out of 26,000 in 1640).[16] It quickly became an important node in the development of Portugal's trade along three major routes: MacauMalaccaGoaLisbon, GuangzhouMacauNagasaki and MacauManilaMexico. The GuangzhouMacauNagasaki route was particularly profitable because the Portuguese acted as middlemen, shipping Chinese silks to Japan and Japanese silver to China, pocketing huge markups in the process. This already lucrative trade became even more so when Chinese officials handed Macau's Portuguese traders a monopoly by banning direct trade with Japan in 1547, due to piracy by Chinese and Japanese nationals.[17]

Macau's golden age coincided with the union of the Spanish and Portuguese crowns, between 1580 and 1640. King Philip II of Spain was encouraged to not harm the status quo, to allow trade to continue between Portuguese Macau and Spanish Manila, and to not interfere with Portuguese trade with China. In 1587, Philip promoted Macau from "Settlement or Port of the Name of God" to "City of the Name of God" (Cidade do Nome de Deus de Macau).[18]

The alliance of Portugal with Spain meant that Portuguese colonies became targets for the Netherlands, which was embroiled at the time in a lengthy struggle for its independence from Spain, the Eighty Years' War. After the Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602, the Dutch unsuccessfully attacked Macau several times, culminating in a full-scale invasion attempt in 1622, when 800 attackers were successfully repelled by 150 Macanese and Portuguese defenders and a large number of African slaves.[19] One of the first actions of Macau's next governor, who arrived the following year, was to strengthen the city's defences, which included the construction of the Guia Fortress.[20]

As well as being an important trading post, Macau was a center of activity for Catholic missionaries, as it was seen as a gateway for the conversion of the vast populations of China and Japan. Jesuits had first arrived in the 1560s and were followed by Dominicans in the 1580s. Both orders soon set about constructing churches and schools, the most notable of which were the Jesuit Cathedral of Saint Paul and the St. Dominic's Church built by the Dominicans. In 1576, Macau was established as an episcopal see by Pope Gregory XIII with Melchior Carneiro appointed as the first bishop.[21][22]

In 1637, increasing suspicion of the intentions of Spanish and Portuguese Catholic missionaries in Japan finally led the shgun to seal Japan off from foreign influence. Later named the sakoku period, this meant that no Japanese were allowed to leave the country (or return if they were living abroad), and no foreign ship was allowed to dock in a Japanese port. An exception was made for the Protestant Dutch, who were allowed to continue to trade with Japan from the confines of a small man-made island in Nagasaki, Deshima. Macau's most profitable trade route, that between Japan and China, had been severed. The crisis was compounded two years later by the loss of Malacca to the Dutch in 1641, damaging the link with Goa.

The news that the Portuguese House of Braganza had regained control of the Crown from the Spanish Habsburgs took two years to reach Macau, arriving in 1642. A ten-week celebration ensued, and despite its new-found poverty, Macau sent gifts to the new King Joo IV along with expressions of loyalty. In return, the King rewarded Macau with the addition of the words "There is none more Loyal" to its existing title. Macau was now "City of the Name of God in China, There is none more loyal". ("No h outra mais Leal" [Listen(helpinfo)]).

In 1685, the privileged position of the Portuguese in trade with China ended, following a decision by the Kangxi Emperor of China to allow trade with all foreign countries. Over the next century, England, the Dutch Republic, France, Denmark, Sweden, the United States and Russia moved in, establishing factories and offices in Guangzhou and Macau. British trading dominance in the 1790s was unsuccessfully challenged by a combined French and Spanish naval squadron at the Macau Incident of 27 January 1799.

Until 20 April 1844 Macau was under the jurisdiction of Portugal's Indian colonies, the so-called "Estado portugus da India" (Portuguese State of India), but after this date, it, along with East Timor, was accorded recognition by Lisbon (but not by Beijing) as an overseas province of Portugal. The Treaty of Peace, Amity, and Commerce between China and the United States was signed in a temple in Macau on 3 July 1844. The temple was used by a Chinese judicial administrator, who also oversaw matters concerning foreigners, and was located in the village of Mong H. The Templo de Kun Iam was the site where, on 3 July 1844, the treaty of Wangxia (named after the village of Mong Ha where the temple was located) was signed by representatives of the United States and China. This marked the official beginning of Sino-US relations.

After China ceded Hong Kong to the British in 1842, Macau's position as a major regional trading centre declined further still because larger ships were drawn to the deep water port of Victoria Harbour.[citation needed] In an attempt to reverse the decline, Portugal declared Macau a free port, expelled Chinese officials and soldiers, and thereafter levied taxes on Chinese residents. In 1848, there was a revolt of the boatmen that was put down.

Portugal continued to pay rent to China until 1849, when the Portuguese abolished the Chinese customs house and declared Macau's "independence", a year which also saw Chinese retaliation and finally the assassination of Gov. Ferreira do Amaral during the so-called Baishaling Incident. Portugal gained control of the island of Wanzai (Lapa by the Portuguese and now as Wanzaizhen), to the northwest of Macau and which now is under the jurisdiction of Zhuhai (Xiangzhou District), in 1849 but relinquished it in 1887. Control over Taipa and Coloane, two islands south of Macau, was obtained between 1851 and 1864. Macau and East Timor were again combined as an overseas province of Portugal under control of Goa in 1883. The Protocol Respecting the Relations Between the Two Countries (signed in Lisbon 26 March 1887) and the Beijing Treaty (signed in Beijing on 1 December 1887) confirmed "perpetual occupation and government" of Macau by Portugal (with Portugal's promise "never to alienate Macau and dependencies without agreement with China" in the treaty). Taipa and Coloane were also ceded to Portugal, but the border with the mainland was not delimited. Ilha Verde (Chinese: ; pinyin: Qngzhu; Jyutping: Ceng1 Zau1 or Cing1 Zau1) was incorporated into Macau's territory in 1890, and, once a kilometre offshore, by 1923 it had been absorbed into peninsula Macau through land reclamation.[citation needed]

In 1871, the Hospital Kiang Wu was founded as a traditional Chinese medical hospital. It was in 1892 that doctor Sun Yat-sen brought Western medicine services to the hospital.[23]

In the 1930s, Macau's traditional income streams related to illegal opium sales dried up, as the Royal Navy's Eastern Fleet suppressed piracy and smuggling in support of Hong Kong's growing commercial status. Traditional local industries of fishing, firecrackers and incense, as well as tea and tobacco processing, were all small scale, while Macau Government income from 'Fan-Tan' gambling was only around US$5000 (about US$100,000 in modern money) per day. So the financially pressed Portuguese government urged the colony's administrators to develop greater economic self-sufficiency. One channel that bore fruit was as a transit point for the new trans-Pacific passenger and postal flights, for competing airlines from the US and Japan which was at the time engaged in conflict with China. In 1935, Pan-Am secured sea-landing rights in Macau and immediately set about building related communications infrastructure in the enclave, allowing a service from San Francisco to begin in November that year.[24]

Intertwined with this economic progress was an alleged and much discussed offer (never officially confirmed) in 1935 by Japan to buy Macau from Portugal, for US$100 million. Concerns were raised by the British, and others. In May, the Portuguese government twice denied that it would accept any such offer, and the matter was closed.[24]

From 1848 to about the early 1870s, Macau was the infamous transit port of a trade of coolies (or slave labourers) from southern China. Most of them were kidnapped from the Guangdong province and were shipped off in packed vessels to Cuba, Peru, or other South American ports to work on plantations or in mines. Many died on the way there due to malnutrition, disease, or other mistreatment. The Dea del Mar which had set sail to Callao from Macau in 1865 with 550 Chinese on board, arrived in Tahiti with only 162 of them still alive.

Macau became a refugee center during WWII causing its population to climb from about 200 thousand to about 700 thousand people within a few years.[25] Refugee operations were organized through the Santa Casa da Misericordia.[26]

Unlike in the case of Portuguese Timor, which was occupied by the Japanese in 1942 along with Dutch Timor, the Japanese respected Portuguese neutrality in Macau, but only up to a point.[25] As such, Macau enjoyed a brief period of economic prosperity as the only neutral port in South China, after the Japanese had occupied Guangzhou (Canton) and Hong Kong. In August 1943, Japanese troops seized the British steamer Sian in Macau and killed about 20 guards. The next month they demanded the installation of Japanese "advisors" under the alternative of military occupation. The result was that a virtual Japanese protectorate was created over Macau.

When it was discovered that neutral Macau was planning to sell aviation fuel to Japan, aircraft from the USS Enterprise bombed and strafed the hangar of the Naval Aviation Centre on 16 January 1945 to destroy the fuel. American air raids on targets in Macau were also made on 25 February and 11 June 1945. Following Portuguese government protest, in 1950 the United States paid US$20,255,952 to the government of Portugal.[27]

Japanese domination ended in August 1945.

When the Chinese communists came to power in 1949, they declared the Protocol of Lisbon to be invalid as an "unequal treaty" imposed by foreigners on China. However, Beijing was not ready to settle the treaty question, leaving the maintenance of "the status quo" until a more appropriate time. Beijing took a similar position on treaties relating to the Hong Kong territories of the United Kingdom.

In 1951, the Salazar regime declared Macau, as well as other Portuguese colonies, an "Overseas Province" of Portugal.

During the 1950s and 1960s Macau's border crossing to China Portas do Cerco was also referred to as Far Eastern Checkpoint Charlie with a major border incident happening in 1952 with Portuguese African Troops exchanging fire with Chinese Communist border guards.[28] According to reports, the exchange lasted for one-and-three-quarter hours, leaving one dead and several dozens injured on the Macau side and more than 100 casualties claimed on the Communist Chinese side.[29]

In 1954, the Macau Grand Prix was established, first as a treasure hunt throughout the city, and in later years as a formal car racing event.[30]

In 1962, the gambling industry of Macau saw a major breakthrough when the government granted the Sociedade de Turismo e Diverses de Macau (STDM), a syndicate jointly formed by Hong Kong and Macau businessmen, the monopoly rights to all forms of gambling. The STDM introduced western-style games and modernised the marine transport between Macau and Hong Kong, bringing millions of gamblers from Hong Kong every year.[31]

Riots broke out in 1966 during the communist Cultural Revolution, when local Chinese and the Macau authority clashed, the most serious one being the so-called 12-3 incident. This was sparked by the overreaction of some Portuguese officials to what was a regular minor dispute concerning building permits. The riots caused 8 deaths and the end was a total climbdown by the Portuguese Government.[32]

On January 29, 1967, the Portuguese Governor, Jos Manuel de Sousa e Faro Nobre de Carvalho, with the endorsement of Portuguese Prime Minister Salazar, signed a statement of apology at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, under a portrait of Mao Zedong, with Ho Yin, the Chamber's President, presiding.[33][34]

Two agreements were signed, one with Macau's Chinese community, and the other with mainland China. The latter committed the Government to compensate local Chinese community leaders with as much as 2 million Macau Patacas and to prohibit all Kuomintang activities in Macau. This move ended the conflict, and relations between the government and the leftist organisations remained largely peaceful.[citation needed]

This success in Macau encouraged leftists in Hong Kong to "do the same", leading to riots by leftists in Hong Kong in 1967.

A Portuguese proposal to return the province to China was declined by China.[citation needed]

Also in 1966, the Church of our Lady of Sorrows on Coloane opened up.[35]

In 1968, the Taipa-Coloane Causeway linking Taipa island and Coloane island was opened up.[35]

In 1974, following the anti-colonialist Carnation Revolution, Portugal relinquished all claims over Macau and proposed to return Macau back to Chinese sovereignty.

In 1990, the Academy of Public Security Forces was founded in Coloane.[35]

In 1994, the Bridge of Friendship was completed, the second bridge connecting Macau and Taipa.[35]

In November 1995, the Macau International Airport was inaugurated.[35] Before then the territory only had 2 temporary airports for small aeroplanes, in addition to several permanent heliports.

In 1997, the Macau Stadium was completed in Taipa.[35]

Portugal and the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations on 8 February 1979, and Beijing acknowledged Macau as "Chinese territory under Portuguese administration." A year later, Gen. Melo Egidio became the first governor of Macau to pay an official visit to Beijing.

The visit underscored both parties' interest in finding a mutually agreeable solution to Macau's status. A joint communique signed 20 May 1986 called for negotiations on the Macau question, and four rounds of talks followed between 30 June 1986 and 26 March 1987. The Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau was signed in Beijing on 13 April 1987, setting the stage for the return of Macau to full Chinese sovereignty as a Special Administrative Region on 20 December 1999.

After four rounds of talks, "the Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on the Question of Macau" was officially signed in April 1987. The two sides exchanged instruments of ratification on 15 January 1988 and the Joint Declaration entered into force. During the transitional period between the date of the entry into force of the Joint Declaration and 19 December 1999 the Portuguese government was responsible for the administration of Macau.

The Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, was adopted by the National People's Congress (NPC) on 31 March 1993 as the constitutional law for Macau, taking effect on 20 December 1999.

The PRC has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs until at least 2049, fifty years after the handover.

Although offered control of Macau as early as the 1960s, the Chinese deemed the time "not yet ripe" and preferred to wait until December 1999the very end of the millennium, two years after the Hong Kong handoverto close this chapter of history.

Upon the handover of Macau European colonization of Asia ended.

In 2002, the Macau government ended the gambling monopoly system and 3 (later 6) casino operating concessions (and subconcessions) were granted to Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM, an 80% owned subsidiary of STDM), Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment Group, the partnership of MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho Chiu-king, and the partnership of Melco and PBL, thus marking the begin of the rise of Macau as the new gambling hub in Asia.

As one of the measures to develop the gambling industry, the Cotai strip was completed after the handover to China with construction of the hotel and casino industry starting in 2004. In 2007, the first of many resorts opened, The Venetian Macao. Many other resorts followed, both in Cotai and on Macau island, providing for a major tax income stream to Macau government and a drop in overall unemployment over the years down to a mere 2% in 2013.[36]

In 2004, the Sai Van Bridge is completed, the third bridge between Macau island and Taipa island.[35]

In 2005, the Macau East Asian Games Dome, the principal venue for the 4th East Asian Games, is inaugurated.[35]

Also in 2005, Macau government started a wave of social housing construction (lasting until 2013 at least), constructing over 8000 apartment units in the process.[37]

Similar to other economies in the world, the financial crisis of 200708 hit Macau leading to a stall in construction of major construction works (Sands Cotai Central[38]) and a spike in unemployment.[39]

With residential and development space being sparse, Macau government officially announced on 27 June 2009 that the University of Macau will build its new campus on Hengqin island, in a stretch directly facing the Cotai area, south of the current border post. Along with this development, several other residential and business development projects on Hengqin are in the planning.

In 2011 to 2013 further major construction on several planned mega-resorts on the Cotai Strip commenced.[40]

2014 marked the first time that the gambling revenues in Macau declined on a year-to-year basis. Starting in June 2014, gambling revenues declined for the second half of the year on a month-to-month basis (compared with 2013) causing the Macau Daily Times to announce that the "Decade of gambling expansion end[ed]".[41] Some reasons for the slowdown are China's anti-corruption drive reaching Macau, China's economy slowing down and changes of Mainland Chinese tourists preference of visiting other countries as a travel destination.[42][43]

This led the Macau government to attempt to reconstruct the economy, to depend less on gambling revenues and focus on building world-class non-gambling tourism and leisure centers, as well as developing itself as a platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.[44][45]

In 2015, the borders of Macau were redrawn by the state council, shifting the land border north to the Canal dos Patos and expanding the maritime border significantly. The changes increased the size of Macau's maritime territory by 85 square kilometers.[46]

Typhoon Hato hit southern China in August 2017 causing widespread damage to Macau, never before experienced major flooding and property damages, with citywide power and water outages lasting for at least 24 hours after the passage of the storm. Overall, 10 deaths and at least 200 injuries were reported. This caused widespread anger against the Macau government, accused of being unprepared for the typhoon as were as the delay of raising the no. 10 tropical cyclone signal; this caused the head of the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau to resign.[47] At the request of the Macau government, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Macau Garrison (for the first time in Macau's history) deployed around 1,000 troops to assist in disaster relief and cleaning up.[48][49]

On December 12, 2019, Macau officially opened its first rail transit system: the Macau Light Rapid Transit.[50]

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History of Macau - Wikipedia

Macau( Makao)is a minor character in the series Hetalia: Axis Powers.

Macau is said to be tall and has short dark brown hair with long bangs combed over to the side. He has golden eyes, wearing glasses with square curved lenses, and thin eyebrows. He wears a long blackchangshan(or "changpao") with white pants and dark shoes. He often wears smart-looking suits to casinos and anything business related.

In an early sketch, he is depicted with a wider jaw and wearing a duangua with over-sized sleeves and without trim.

Macau is stated as an older brother who excludes an aura of maturity in a character note and is said to have made popular a unique culture withinChina, with heavy ties to Portugal, who gave him the formal name "Macau Which Carries the Name of a Most Faithful God".He is not greedy by nature despite the high presence of gambling in the region, with him described to be gambling quietly in a dimly lit room in a character note. He is the oldest trading hub in Asia.

He appears calm and good at business and tries to be philosophical, however, there seems to be another part to him that has yet to be elaborated on. In foreign countries, this easygoing manner is called "relaxed governing." While he also operates in a business-like manner, he jokes around with Portugal, China, andHong Kong, and treatsTaiwanlike a proper lady.His underlings, too, are skillfull, and cooking and making toys and textiles are specialties. Their number one specialty is porcelain and ceramics. He doesn't know much about politics and he likes to see everyone in a good mood.

China gets along with Macau, either than Hong Kong or Taiwan. They are friendly with each other and Macau had made a huge cultural impact on mainland China, causing them to be closer. Macau is also concerned about China's wellbeing, especially when his sudden weight increasing to unnormal levels.

Macau connects strongly to Hong Kong; they associate as good business and cultural partners besides being neighbours or under China.When he was living in Portugal's house, he handed the role of Asia's centralised trading port to Hong Kong. After that, Hong Kong also had a rapid growth as Macau restfully watched over him without rivalry, and he sought his own connections in Europe.They joke together and are close, with Macau seeing the other as a little brother.

Being a former colony of Portugal, he has a close relationship with the former power in the past. But their ties go long before Macau was even Portugal's underling in the first place. Portugal said that they are best friends and are a dream team somewhere between the 15th and 16th century.Cantonese food and cuisine taught from Portugal are both abundant; bacalhau that is primarily eaten in Southern Europe, Portuguese-style duck, etc. The culture that is usually arranged in Southern Europe are skillfully adopted, and every day is spent beautifully- was stated in the Volume 4 Special aftermath.

Macau in his introduction panel

Macau's official debut is in the | Ilha Formosa ~Beautiful Island~ chapter where it's about the Asians' tour in Taiwan. Macau is seen betting about what will China wear that morning, on which he and Taiwan lost to Hong Kong.

Link:

Macau | Hetalia Archives | Fandom

HONG KONG, June 8,2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SUEZ, together with its subsidiary, Macao Water, recently signed a framework agreement with the University of Macau (UM) to develop a robust research partnership platform that will combine the three parties' resources and strengths in scientific research and marine ecosystem protection.Based on the agreement, SUEZ, UM and Macao Water will conduct innovative research on near-shore marine ecosystems and water treatment technology, to protect the ocean and its biodiversity.

This tripartite collaboration will advance joint efforts in talent training and development for scientific research. It will also deliver strong academic, talent-related, technological innovation and commercialization advantages to jointly shape a complete value chain that aligns the powers of industry, academia and research to restore the marine environment and the corresponding ecosystem. While enabling the sharing of knowledge and experience, the partnership also has an international dimension to further cement cooperation with Portugal in the marine sector, and help address urgent issues like protection of the marine environment and the biological resources in Macau and beyond. The partnership will focus on the following key research activities:

Macau is a peninsula. To promote Macau's prosperity and stability, and to achieve sustainable economic and social development, the Chinese government clearly marked 85 square kilometers of the sea area as the responsibility of Macau Special Administrative Region. This area is an important habitat for China's white dolphins, a Grade-1 National Key Protected Species in the country. It is also ideal for a large variety of fish, thanks to the confluence of brackish, fresh water and an agreeable water temperature. This makes conservation of the entire marine ecosystem in Macau all the more important.

Professor Yonghua SONG, Rector of the University of Macau, said, "As the only international comprehensive public university in Macau, we are committed to promoting social development through scientific research, regarding our expanding research on regional ocean as an important pillar of the university's research strategy for the future. In 2019, the UM Faculty of Science and Technology established the Research Center for Regional Ocean, carrying out in-depth research on cutting-edge topics related to the marine environment and contributing to the sustainable development of Macau and the Greater Bay Area. We believe that this strategic partnership with SUEZ and Macao Water will be a model partnership among industry, academia and research in Macau."

Francois Fevrier, Chief Executive Officer of SUEZ Asia Water, said, "This is a significant strategic partnership between the three of us. It is a manifestation of our strong desire and shared purpose for protecting the ocean. Since the late 19th century, SUEZ has been committed to preserving and restoring the planet's natural capital: water, soil and air. I am convinced that the partnership we are announcing with the University of Macau today will further harness our strengths in the field of marine studies and environmental engineering, as well as building on the 35-year proven track record of Macao Water in providing quality services and smart water solutions in the Chinese water industry. Through close alignment among industry, academia and research, we will contribute to high-quality development in Macau and the Greater Bay Area, which will promote the sustainability of the marine ecosystem."

SUEZ, together with its subsidiary, Macao Water, signed a framework agreement with the University of Macau to reaffirm its commitment to marine protection.

Story continues

About SUEZ

Since the end of the 19th century, SUEZ has built expertise aimed at helping people to constantly improve their quality of life by protecting their health and supporting economic growth. With an active presence on five continents, SUEZ and its 90,000employees strive to preserve our environment's natural capital: water, soil, and air. SUEZ provides innovative and resilient solutions in water management, waste recovery, site remediation and air treatment, optimizing municipalities' and industries' resource management through "smart" cities and improving their environmental and economic performance. The Group delivers sanitation services to 64 million people and produces 7.1 billion m3 of drinking water. SUEZ is also a contributor to economic growth, with more than 200,000 jobs created directly and indirectly on an annual basis, and a provider of new resources, with 4.2 million tons of secondary raw materials produced. By 2030, the Group is targeting 100% sustainable solutions, with a positive impact on our environment, health and climate. SUEZ generated total revenue of 18.0 billion in 2019.

About SUEZ in Asia

With a strong presence of 60+ years in South East Asia and 40+ years in Greater China, SUEZ is a preferred partner in helping authorities and industrial clients develop water and waste management solutions that enable cities and industries to optimize their resource management and strengthen their environment and economic performances. With 9,000+ employees and 70+ joint ventures with local partners, the Group has built 460+ water and wastewater plants, with 32+ million people benefiting from our water and waste services. Today, SUEZ is recognized as one of the most influential companies and a service benchmark in leading the region's environmental industry. We operate China's first PPP water contract in Macau, one of Asia's largest hazardous waste treatment facilities in Shanghai, as well as a plastic recycling plantin Thailand. It is also a leader in Hong Kong's waste management industry, and delivers environmental services to 20 industrial parks.

University of Macau (UM)

Founded in 1981, the University of Macau (UM) is the only comprehensive international public university in the Macau SAR. It is also the best university on the west coast of the Greater Bay Area. UM ranked in the top 400 of the Times Higher Education(THE) World University Rankings 2019 and No 9 in International Outlook, No 37 in the THE Asia University Rankings, No 60 in the THE Asia-Pacific University Rankings, and No 52 in the THE Young University Rankings.The UW Faculty of Science and Technology established the Research Center for Regional Ocean in 2019, with the aim of carrying out in-depth, cutting-edge academic studies in the fields of marine environment, marine engineering and marine disasters, promoting academic exchanges and cooperation on regional marine-related topics, and contributing to the long-term social development of Macau and the Greater Bay Area.

Macao Water

Macao Water Supply Company Limited was founded in 1935. In 1985, SUEZ NWS, a joint venture between France's SUEZ and NWS Holdings Limited from Hong Kong, acquired 85% equity in Macao Water and became its majority shareholder. Macao Water signed a 25-year concession contract for public water supply services with the Macao-Portuguese Government in the same year. The concession was extended by the Macau SAR government in 2009 till July 2030. Macao Water provides reliable and safe water services in Macau through its expertise and quality culture to ensure that the water quality meets and exceeds European sanitary standards for drinking water. Its vision is to contribute to the growth and prosperity of Macao by building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with customers, shareholders, and employees, and also by creating value for all stakeholders.

Find out more about SUEZ Asia on ourwebsite& social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeand Instagram.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200608/2823508-1

SOURCE SUEZ

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SUEZ and University of Macau Partner on Research Innovation, Reaffirm Commitment to Marine Protection - Yahoo Finance

Other places so dependent on tourism face a similar fiasco. But Macau had already been badly hit by Chinas crackdown on corruption and capital flight.ByWolf RichterforWOLF STREET.

Just how hard economies that mostly depend on tourism and everything related to it have gotten hit from the Chinese travel restrictions, and from travel restrictions more broadly, is exemplified by Macau whose economy depends largely on gaming: Not only gaming revenues, but also hotel bookings, restaurants, entertainment, fancy retail shops for tourists, money laundering services and other financial services, etc., plus all the secondary and tertiary activity associated with them, such as the salaries spent by employees for food and rent and what not, and how this money then circulates.

So when gaming revenues collapsed because the casinos were shut down, and because tourism from Mainland China had halted, and the secondary activities also swooned, overall economic activity collapsed by half and well get to that in a moment.

Gaming revenues in April were down 79% from April last year to 2.04 billion Macau pataca ($250 million), after having collapsed by 85% in March, to just 1.25 billion pataca, according to Macaus statistics agency DSEC. At the peak in March 2014, gaming revenues reached 14.5 billion pataca. While revenues have ticked up just a bit in April from March (see that little hook), and are expected to tick up in future months, theyll remain far below where they used to be:

Macaus gaming industry had been struggling, to put it mildly, since the peak in March 2014, after which Chinas crackdown on corruption and its subsequent crackdown on capital flight did a job on Macau.

It is the only place in China where the Chinese can legally gamble. And it was a convenient place to circumvent Chinas currency controls and siphon money out of China and send it out of harms way, by, for example, investing it in a house in the US or Canada. A whole industry had sprung up in Macau to make this convenient.

But the crackdown on corruption scared high-rollers away. And the subsequent crack-down on capital flight gave people a big reason not to go to Macau and find other avenues. GDP started dropping in 2014 and continued to decline until Q2 2016.

But even after the economy started growing again, in line with gambling revenues, it never returned to the peak levels of Q4 2013 (139 billion pataca). In Q3 2018, the high in this cycle, real GDP was 118 billion pataca, down 15% from the 2013 peak.

Then in Q1 2020, while still struggling to slow down the structural decline stemming from the crackdown on capital flight, Macaus gambling revenues and therefore the entire economy got hit by the travel restrictions and the shutdown of casinos. GDP collapsed to 54.4 billion pataca:

In percentage terms, in Q1 2020, GDP collapsed by 50% from the prior quarter (not annualized).

To put that into perspective in terms of how US headlines tend to look at US GDP. In the US, the Bureau of Economic Analysis releases GDP data in various forms, including non-annualized as in Macau, and annualized, as shown in the US headlines. Annualized GDP growth means that essentially the quarter-to-quarter percentage change is multiplied by four to give you the annual rate.

In the US, Q1 GDP dropped 1.3%, not-annualized, from Q4. This is the method used in Macau and most countries. But what you saw in the headlines was a 5.0% drop annualized (-1.3% x 4 with seasonal adjustments). In other words, while US GDP dropped 1.3% in Q1, Macaus GDP plunged 50%.

The chart below shows Macaus GDP percentage change (not annualized), compared to the same quarter a year earlier:

Note the reaction of Macaus GDP during the Financial Crisis (falling as much as 10% year-over-year), during the Crackdown Crisis in 2015 (falling as much as 25% year-over-year), and then during the pandemic, when it collapsed as its one major industry gambling and all related activities were essentially shut down.

There are other cities and small countries that are extremely dependent on tourism in all its forms. And theyre facing a similar economic fiasco as Macau.

Never let a good crisis go to waste. US production, 4th in the world, plunged 32% in April. Indias production, normally in 2nd place, collapsed 64%. Read... Crude Steel Production: China Blows the Doors off Rest of the World During Pandemic After Already Huge Surge in 2019

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Collapse in Gambling Totally Crushes Macau's Overall Economy - WOLF STREET

By Sean Lin / Staff reporter

A coalition of civic groups yesterday unveiled their proposals to amend the Act Governing Relations With Hong Kong and Macau () to flesh out rules for vetting Hong Kongers seeking asylum, as they marked the first anniversary of the start of a campaign against a now-retracted extradition bill in the territory.

The proposals were drafted by several groups in the wake of President Tsai Ing-wens () announcement of an action plan to offer humanitarian assistance to Hong Kongers, Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang () told a news conference in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, adding that they are aimed at complementing Article 18 of the act.

The article only states that the Mainland Affairs Council may provide Hong Kong residents whose safety and freedom have been threatened for political reasons with assistance if necessary, without specifying the types of assistance or what conditions asylum seekers must meet.

The proposals seek to provide applicants with the right to seek judicial remedy if their applications are rejected by the council, and create a review panel with at least one-third of its staff comprising academics and experts from the public, Lai said.

A draft provision states that in the event that a Hong Konger must be deported, the authorities should respect their choice of destination and must not repatriate them to Hong Kong against their will, he said.

The proposals seek to mandate the Ministry of the Interior to provide accommodation, healthcare and legal assistance to Hong Kongers while their application for asylum is under review, Taiwan Association for Human Rights advocate Lin Shu-han () said.

The ministry may enlist civic groups to offer the aforementioned assistance, in which case an interdepartmental task force should be created to follow up on the progress, she added.

The corrupt Hong Kong police has violently cracked down on protesters, arrested more than 8,000 of them and indicted more than 1,500, a year after the first protest against the bill was staged, Hong Kong Outlanders chairman Kuma Yung said.

The situation in Hong Kong remains dire as the Chinese National Peoples Congress seeks to push through a national security bill for Hong Kong, and pro-establishment members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council have arbitrarily passed a national anthem law, which stipulates a prison term of up to three years or a fine of up to HK$50,000 (US$6,452) for people who alter the lyrics or melody of Chinas national anthem or render it in a disparaging tone, Yung said.

However, Hong Kong protesters refuse to sing praise of Chinese autocracy in the face of Beijings expansionist imperialism, which has triggered a new cold war between the East and the West, and affected nations globally, he said.

People used to describe Hong Kong, a former British colony, as a borrowed place living on borrowed time, but today, Hong Kongers desire for self-determination is just as strong as that of any aspiring race, and would only be further stoked by agony and distress, Yung said.

He announced a rally on Saturday at Liberty Square in Taipei in support of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and called on lawmakers to participate in the event to express solidarity with Hong Kong protesters, especially those who have joined the Taiwan Parliament Group for Hong Kong () created last month by independent Legislator Freddy Lim ().

The news conference was also attended by members of the Green Citizens Action Alliance, New School For Democracy, Covenants Watch, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, and the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, among others.

Comments will be moderated. Keep comments relevant to the article. Remarks containing abusive and obscene language, personal attacks of any kind or promotion will be removed and the user banned. Final decision will be at the discretion of the Taipei Times.

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Groups call for changes to HK and Macau law -

Macau boasted the sixth most expensive housing market in the world last year should the same assessment by property consultancy CBRE be applied to the city.

The consultancy released the Global Living 2020 research report this week, indicating Hong Kong had the worlds most expensive housing market with the average housing property price standing at US$1.25 million (MOP9.96 million) in 2019.

Munich from Germany, Singapore and Shanghai trailed behind with the average property price of US$1 million (MOP7.94 million), US$915,601 (MOP7.27 million) and US$905,834 (MOP7.19 million) respectively.

The report covered the housing markets in 39 cities across the globe but did not include Macau.

However, applying the same assessment standard and based on the data from the Statistics and Census Service of Macau, the average home price here stood at MOP6.17 million in 2019 when a total of 8,277 residential properties were transacted in a total value of MOP51.05 billion.

This would have put Macau as the sixth most expensive residential market in the world if CBRE had included the city in the list, closely following Shenzhen that ranked at the fifth place with the average price of US$783,855 (MOP6.23 million).

Other top 10 cities in the CBRE list include: Beijing City (US$763,498/MOP6.06 million), Vancouver (US$754,617/MOP5.99 million), Los Angeles (US$717,583/MOP5.7 million), Paris (US$650,555/MOP5.17 million), and New York (US$649,026/MOP5.15 million).

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Macau as the world's sixth priciest housing market - Research - Macau Business