Category Archives: Macau

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.

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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

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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

Special administrative region of China

Special administrative region in People's Republic of China

Macau, also spelled Macao (; , Cantonese:[u.mn]; official Portuguese:[mkaw] Macau), and officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is a city in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. It is a special administrative region of China and maintains separate governing and economic systems from those of mainland China.[7] With a population of 696,100[8] and an area of 32.9km2 (12.7sqmi), it is the most densely populated region in the world.

Macau was formerly a colony of the Portuguese Empire, after Ming China leased the territory as a trading post in 1557. Portugal paid an annual rent and administered the territory under Chinese sovereignty until 1887, when it gained perpetual colonial rights in the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking. The colony remained under Portuguese rule until 1999, when it was transferred to China.

Originally a sparsely populated collection of coastal islands,[9] the territory has become a major resort city and the top destination for gambling tourism. It is the ninth-highest recipient of tourism revenue and its gambling industry is seven times larger than that of Las Vegas.[10] Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, it has severe income inequality.[11] Its GDP per capita by purchasing power parity is one of the highest in the world and higher than any country in the world in 2014 according to the World Bank.[12]

Macau has a very high Human Development Index, although it is only calculated by the Macau government instead of the United Nations.[6] Macau has the fourth-highest life expectancy in the world.[13] The territory is highly urbanised and most development is built on reclaimed land; two-thirds of the total land area is reclaimed from the sea.[14]

The first known written record of the name "Macau", rendered as "Ya/A Ma Gang" ("/-/-"), is found in a letter dated 20 November 1555. The local inhabitants believed that the sea-goddess Mazu (alternatively called A-Ma) had blessed and protected the harbour and called the waters around A-Ma Temple using her name.[15] When Portuguese explorers first arrived in the area and asked for the place name, the locals thought they were asking about the temple and told them it was "Ma Kok" ().[16] The earliest Portuguese spelling for this was Amaquo. Multiple variations were used until Amaco / Amacao and Maco / Macao became common during the 17th century.[15] By the 1911 reform of Portuguese orthography, the spelling Macau became the standardised form, however the use of Macao persisted in English and other European languages.[17]

Macau Peninsula had many names in Chinese, including Jing'ao (/), Haojing (), and Haojing'ao ().[15][18] The islands Taipa, Coloane, and Hengqin were collectively called Shizimen (). These names would later become Aomen (), Oumn in Cantonese and translating as "bay gate" or "port gate", to refer to the whole territory.[18]

During the Qin dynasty (221206 BC), the region was under the jurisdiction of Panyu County, Nanhai Prefecture of the province of Guangdong.[19][20] The region is first known to have been settled during the Han dynasty.[21] 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. In 1152, during the Song dynasty (9601279 AD), it was under the jurisdiction of the new Xiangshan County.[19] In 1277, approximately 50,000 refugees fleeing the Mongol conquest of China settled in the coastal area.[20][22]

Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century. The first European visitor to reach China by sea was the explorer Jorge lvares, who arrived in 1513.[23] Merchants first established a trading post in Hong Kong waters at Tamo (present-day Tuen Mun), beginning regular trade with nearby settlements in southern China.[23] Military clashes between the Ming and Portuguese navies followed the expulsion of the Tamo traders in 1521.[24] Despite the trade ban, Portuguese merchants continued to attempt settling on other parts of the Pearl River estuary, finally settling on Macau.[24] Luso-Chinese trade relations were formally reestablished in 1554 and Portugal soon after acquired a permanent lease for Macau in 1557,[25] agreeing to pay 500 taels of silver as annual land rent.[26]

The initially small population of Portuguese merchants rapidly became a growing city.[27] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau was created in 1576, and by 1583, the Senate had been established to handle municipal affairs for the growing settlement.[27] Macau was at the peak of its prosperity as a major entrept during the late 16th century, providing a crucial connection in exporting Chinese silk to Japan during the Nanban trade period.[28] Although the Portuguese were initially prohibited from fortifying Macau or stockpiling weapons, the Fortaleza do Monte was constructed in response to frequent Dutch naval incursions. The Dutch attempted to take the city in the 1622 Battle of Macau, but were repelled successfully by the Portuguese.[29] Macau entered a period of decline in the 1640s following a series of catastrophic events for the burgeoning colony: Portuguese access to trade routes was irreparably severed when Japan halted trade in 1639,[30] Portugal revolted against Spain in 1640,[31] and Malacca fell to the Dutch in 1641.[32][33]

Maritime trade with China was banned in 1644 following the Qing conquest under the Haijin policies and limited only to Macau on a lesser scale while the new dynasty focused on eliminating surviving Ming loyalists.[34] While the Kangxi Emperor lifted the prohibition in 1684, China again restricted trade under the Canton System in 1757.[35] Foreign ships were required to first stop at Macau before further proceeding to Canton.[36] Qing authorities exercised a much greater role in governing the territory during this period; Chinese residents were subject to Qing courts and new construction had to be approved by the resident mandarin beginning in the 1740s.[37] As the opium trade became more lucrative during the eighteenth century, Macau again became an important stopping point en route to China.[38]

Following the First Opium War and establishment of Hong Kong, Macau lost its role as a major port.[39] Firecracker and incense production, as well as tea and tobacco processing, were vital industries in the colony during this time.[40][41] Portugal was able to capitalise on China's post-war weakness and assert its sovereignty; the Governor of Macau began refusing to pay China annual land rent for the colony in the 1840s,[42] and annexed Taipa and Coloane, in 1851 and 1864 respectively.[43] Portugal also occupied nearby Lapa and Montanha,[42] but these would be returned to China by 1887, when perpetual occupation rights over Macau were formalised in the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking. This agreement also prohibited Portugal from ceding Macau without Chinese approval.[44] Despite occasional conflict between Cantonese authorities and the colonial government, Macau's status remained unchanged through the republican revolutions of both Portugal in 1910 and China in 1911.[45] The Kuomintang further affirmed Portuguese jurisdiction in Macau when the Treaty of Peking was renegotiated in 1928.[45]

During the Second World War, the Empire of Japan did not occupy the colony and generally respected Portuguese neutrality in Macau. However, after Japanese troops captured a British cargo ship in Macau waters in 1943, Japan installed a group of government "advisors" as an alternative to military occupation. The territory largely avoided military action during the war except in 1945, when the United States ordered air raids on Macau after learning that the colonial government was preparing to sell aviation fuel to Japan. Portugal was later given over US$20million in compensation for the damage in 1950.[46]

Refugees from mainland China swelled the population as they fled from the Chinese Civil War. Access to a large workforce enabled Macau's economy to grow as the colony expanded its clothing and textiles manufacturing industry, developed tourism, and legalised casino gaming.[47] However, at the height of the Cultural Revolution, residents dissatisfied with the colonial administration rioted in the 1966 12-3 incident, in which 8 people were killed and over 200 were injured. Portugal lost full control over the colony afterwards, and agreed to cooperate with the communist authorities in exchange for continued administration of Macau.[48]

Following the 1974 Carnation Revolution, Portugal formally relinquished Macau as an overseas province and acknowledged it as a "Chinese territory under Portuguese administration".[49] After China first concluded arrangements on Hong Kong's future with the United Kingdom, it entered negotiations with Portugal over Macau in 1986. They were concluded with the signing of the 1987 Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau, in which Portugal agreed to transfer the colony in 1999 and China would guarantee Macau's political and economic systems for 50 years after the transfer.[50] In the waning years of colonial rule, Macau rapidly urbanised and constructed large-scale infrastructure projects, including Macau International Airport and a new container port.[51] Macau was transferred to China on 20 December 1999, after 442 years of Portuguese rule.[7]

Following the transfer, Macau liberalised its casino industry (previously operating under a government-licensed monopoly) to allow foreign investors, starting a new period of economic development. The regional economy grew by a double-digit annual growth rate from 2002 to 2014, making Macau one of the richest economies in the world on a per capita basis.[52] Political debates have centred on the region's jurisdictional independence and the central government's adherence of "one country, two systems". While issues such as national security legislation have been controversial, Macanese residents generally have high levels of trust in the government.[53][54]

Macao is the last Portuguese colony to gain independence and the only one which is not member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Portuguese is one of the official languages of Macao. In 2006, during the II Ministerial meeting between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries, the CPLP Executive Secretary and Deputy ambassador Tadeu Soares invited the Chief Executive of the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region, Edmund Ho, to request the Associate Observer status for Macau. The Government of Macau has not yet formalized this request. In 2016, Murade Murargy, then executive secretary of CPLP said in an interview that Macao's membership is a complicated question, since like the Galicia region in Spain, it is not an independent country, but only a part of China.[55] But the Instituto Internacional de Macau and the University of So Jos are Consultative Observers of CPLP.

Macau is a special administrative region of China, with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government.[56] The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration provided for economic and administrative continuity through the transfer of sovereignty, resulting in an executive-led governing system largely inherited from the territory's history as a Portuguese colony.[57] Under these terms and the "one country, two systems" principle, the Basic Law of Macao is the regional constitution.[58] Because negotiations for the Joint Declaration and Basic Law began after transitional arrangements for Hong Kong were made, Macau's structure of government is very similar to Hong Kong's.[59]

The regional government is composed of three branches:

The Chief Executive is the head of government, and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms.[67] The State Council (led by the Premier of China) appoints the Chief Executive after nomination by the Election Committee, which is composed of 400 business, community, and government leaders.[68][69]

The Legislative Assembly has 33 members, each serving a four-year term: 14 are directly elected, 12 indirectly elected, and 7 appointed by the Chief Executive.[70] Indirectly elected assemblymen are selected from limited electorates representing sectors of the economy or special interest groups.[71] All directly elected members are chosen with proportional representation.[72]

Twelve political parties had representatives elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2017 election.[73] These parties have aligned themselves into two ideological groups: the pro-establishment (the current government) and pro-democracy camps.[74] Macau is represented in the National People's Congress by 12 deputies chosen through an electoral college, and 29 delegates in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference appointed by the central government.[2]

Chinese national law does not generally apply in the region, and Macau is treated as a separate jurisdiction.[56] Its judicial system is based on Portuguese civil law, continuing the legal tradition established during colonial rule. Interpretative and amending power over the Basic Law and jurisdiction over acts of state lie with the central authority, however, making regional courts ultimately subordinate to the mainland's socialist civil law system. Decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress can also override territorial judicial processes.[75]

The territory's jurisdictional independence is most apparent in its immigration and taxation policies. The Identification Department issues passports for permanent residents which differ from those issued by the mainland or Hong Kong, and the region maintains a regulated border with the rest of the country.[76] All travellers between Macau and China and Hong Kong must pass border controls, regardless of nationality.[77] Chinese citizens resident in mainland China do not have the right of abode in Macau and are subject to immigration controls.[78] Public finances are handled separately from the national government, and taxes levied in Macau do not fund the central authority.[79]

The Macao Garrison is responsible for the region's defence. Although the Chairman of the Central Military Commission is supreme commander of the armed forces,[80] the regional government may request assistance from the garrison.[81] Macau residents are not required to perform military service and current law also has no provision for local enlistment, so its defence force is composed entirely of nonresidents.[82]

The State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle diplomatic matters, but Macau retains the ability to maintain separate economic and cultural relations with foreign nations.[83] The territory negotiates its own trade agreements and actively participates in supranational organisations, including agencies of the World Trade Organization and United Nations.[84][85][86] The regional government maintains trade offices in Greater China and other nations.[87]

The territory is divided into seven parishes. Cotai, a major area developed on reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane, and areas of the Macau New Urban Zone do not have defined parishes.[88] Historically, the parishes belonged to one of two municipalities (the Municipality of Macau or the Municipality of Ilhas) that were responsible for administering municipal services. The municipalities were abolished in 2001 and superseded by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau in providing local services.[89]

Sex trafficking in Macau is an issue. Macau and foreign women and girls are forced into prostitution in brothels, homes, and businesses in the city.[90][91][92][93][94]

Macau is on China's southern coast, 60km (37mi) west of Hong Kong, on the western side of the Pearl River estuary. It is surrounded by the South China Sea in the east and south, and neighbours the Guangdong city of Zhuhai to the west and north.[95] The territory consists of Macau Peninsula, Taipa, and Coloane.[96] A 1km2 (0.39sqmi) parcel of land in neighbouring Hengqin island that hosts the University of Macau also falls under the regional government's jurisdiction.[97] The territory's highest point is Coloane Alto, 170.6 metres (560ft) above sea level.[88]

Urban development is concentrated on peninsular Macau, where most of the population lives.[98] The peninsula was originally a separate island with hilly terrain, which gradually became a tombolo as a connecting sandbar formed over time. Both natural sedimentation and land reclamation expanded the area enough to support urban growth.[99] Macau has tripled its land area in the last century, increasing from 10.28km2 (3.97sqmi) in the late 19th century[14] to 32.9km2 (12.7sqmi) in 2018.[88]

Cotai, the area of reclaimed land connecting Taipa and Coloane, contains many of the newer casinos and resorts established after 1999.[11] The region's jurisdiction over the surrounding sea was greatly expanded in 2015, when it was granted an additional 85km2 (33sqmi) of maritime territory by the State Council.[100] Further reclamation is currently underway to develop parts of the Macau New Urban Zone.[101] The territory also has control over part of an artificial island to maintain a border checkpoint for the Hong KongZhuhaiMacau Bridge.[88][102]

Macau has a humid subtropical climate (Kppen Cwa), characteristic of southern China. The territory is dual season dominant summer (May to September) and winter (November to February) are the longest seasons, while spring (March and April) and autumn (October) are relatively brief periods.[95] The summer monsoon brings warm and humid air from the sea, with the most frequent rainfall occurring during the season. Typhoons also occur most often then, bringing significant spikes in rainfall. During the winter, northern winds from the continent bring dry air and much less rainfall.[103] The highest and lowest temperatures recorded at the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau are 38.9C (102.0F) on both 2 July 1930 and 6 July 1930 and 1.8C (28.8F) on 26 January 1948.[104]

The Statistics and Census Service estimated Macau's population at 667,400 at the end of 2018.[106] With a population density of 21,340 people per square kilometre,[107] Macau is the most densely populated region in the world. The overwhelming majority (88.7 per cent) are Chinese, many of whom originate from Guangdong (31.9 per cent) or Fujian (5.9 per cent).[108] The remaining 11.6 per cent are non-ethnic Chinese minorities, primarily Filipinos (4.6 per cent), Vietnamese (2.4 per cent), and Portuguese (1.8 per cent).[1] Several thousand residents are of Macanese heritage, native-born multiracial people with mixed Portuguese ancestry.[109] Of the total population (excluding migrants), 49.4 per cent were born in Macau, followed by 43.1 per cent in Mainland China.[110] A large portion of the population are Portuguese citizens, a legacy of colonial rule; at the time of the transfer of sovereignty in 1999, 107,000 residents held Portuguese passports.[111]

The predominant language is Cantonese, a variety of Chinese originating in Guangdong. It is spoken by 87.5 per cent of the population, 80.1 per cent as a first language and 7.5 per cent as a second language. Only 2.3 per cent can speak Portuguese, the other official language;[112] 0.7 per cent are native speakers, and 1.6 per cent use it as a second language. Increased immigration from mainland China in recent years has added to the number of Mandarin speakers, making up about half of the population (50.4 per cent); 5.5 per cent are native speakers and 44.9 per cent are second language speakers.[113] Traditional Chinese characters are used in writing, rather than the simplified characters used on the mainland. English is considered an additional working language[114] and is spoken by over a quarter of the population (27.5 per cent); 2.8 per cent are native speakers, and 24.7 per cent speak English as a second language.[113] Macanese Patois, a local creole generally known as Patu, is now spoken only by a few in the older Macanese community.[115]

Chinese folk religions have the most adherents (58.9 per cent) and are followed by Buddhism (17.3 per cent) and Christianity (7.2 per cent), while 15.4 per cent of the population profess no religious affiliation at all. Small minorities adhering to other religions (less than 1 per cent), including Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam, are also resident in Macau.[116]

Life expectancy in Macau was 81.6 years for males and 87.7 years for females in 2018,[13] the fourth highest in the world.[117] Cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease are the territory's three leading causes of death. Most government-provided healthcare services are free of charge, though alternative treatment is also heavily subsidised.[118]

Migrant workers living in Macau account for over 25 per cent of the entire workforce.[119] They largely work in lower wage sectors of the economy, including construction, hotels, and restaurants. As a growing proportion of local residents take up employment in the gaming industry, the disparity in income between local and migrant workers has been increasing.[97] Rising living costs have also pushed a large portion of non-resident workers to live in Zhuhai.[119]

Casinos on the Macanese skyline

Tourism plays an important role in the economy of Macau, the people from Mainland China being the region's most prolific tourists.

Macau has a capitalist service economy largely based on casino gaming and tourism. It is the world's 83rd-largest economy, with a nominal GDP of approximately MOP433billion (US$53.9billion).[4] Although Macau has one of the highest per capita GDPs, the territory also has a high level of wealth disparity.[11] Macau's gaming industry is the largest in the world, generating over MOP195billion (US$24billion) in revenue and about seven times larger than that of Las Vegas.[10] Macau's gambling revenue was $37billion in 2018.[120]

The regional economy is heavily reliant on casino gaming.[10] The vast majority of government funding (79.6 per cent of total tax revenue) comes from gaming.[121] Gambling as a share of GDP peaked in 2013 at over 60 per cent,[10] and continues to account for 49.1 per cent of total economic output. The vast majority of casino patrons are tourists from mainland China, making up 68 per cent of all visitors.[122] Casino gaming is illegal in both the mainland and Hong Kong, giving Macau a legal monopoly on the industry in China.[10] Revenue from Chinese high rollers has been falling and was forecast to fall as much as 10% more in 2019. Economic uncertainty may account for some of the drop, but alternate Asian gambling venues do as well. For example, Chinese visitors to the Philippines more than doubled between 2015 and 2018, since the City of Dreams casino opened in Manila.[120]

Casino gambling was legalised in 1962 and the gaming industry initially operated under a government-licensed monopoly granted to the Sociedade de Turismo e Diverses de Macau. This license was renegotiated and renewed several times before ending in 2002 after 40 years.[123] The government then allowed open bidding for casino licenses to attract foreign investors.[124] Along with an easing of travel restrictions on mainland Chinese visitors, this triggered a period of rapid economic growth; from 1999 to 2016, Macau's gross domestic product multiplied by 7[10] and the unemployment rate dropped from 6.3 to 1.9 per cent.[97] The Sands Macao, Wynn Macau, MGM Macau, and Venetian Macau were all opened during the first decade after liberalisation of casino concessions.[124] Casinos employ about 24 per cent of the total workforce in the region.[97] "Increased competition from casinos popping up across Asia to lure away Chinese high rollers and tourists" in Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam and the Russian Far east led in 2019 to the lowest revenues in three years.[120]

Export-oriented manufacturing previously contributed to a much larger share of economic output, peaking at 36.9 per cent of GDP in 1985[125] and falling to less than 1 per cent in 2017.[126] The bulk of these exports were cotton textiles and apparel, but also included toys and electronics.[127] At the transfer of sovereignty in 1999, manufacturing, financial services, construction and real estate, and gaming were the four largest sectors of the economy.[10] Macau's shift to an economic model entirely dependent on gaming caused concern over its overexposure to a single sector, prompting the regional government to attempt re-diversifying its economy.[128]

The government traditionally had a non-interventionist role in the economy and taxes corporations at very low rates.[129] Post-handover administrations have generally been more involved in enhancing social welfare to counter the cyclical nature of the gaming industry.[130] Economic growth has been attributed in large part to the high number of mainlander visits to Macau, and the central government exercises a role in guiding casino business growth through its control of the flow of tourists.[131][132] The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement formalised a policy of free trade between Macau and mainland China, with each jurisdiction pledging to remove remaining obstacles to trade and cross-boundary investment.[133]

Due to a lack of available land for farming, agriculture is not significant in the economy. Food is exclusively imported to Macau and almost all foreign goods are transshipped through Hong Kong.[134]

Macau has a highly developed road system, with over 400km (250mi) of road constructed in the territory. Automobiles drive on the left (unlike in both mainland China and Portugal), due to historical influence of the Portuguese Empire.[135] Vehicle traffic is extremely congested, especially within the oldest part of the city, where streets are the most narrow.[136] Public bus services operate over 80 routes, supplemented by free hotel shuttle buses that also run routes to popular tourist attractions and downtown locations.[137] About 1,500 black taxicabs are licensed to carry riders in the territory.[138] The Hong KongZhuhaiMacau Bridge, opened in 2018, provides a direct link with the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary.[139] Cross-boundary traffic to mainland China may also pass through border checkpoints at the Portas do Cerco and Ltus Bridge.[140]

Macau International Airport serves over 8 million passengers each year and is the primary hub for local flag carrier Air Macau.[141] The territory's first rail network, the Macau Light Rapid Transit, is currently under construction. Phase 1 of the Taipa line had begun operations in December 2019, the Taipa line will connect 11 metro stations throughout Taipa and Cotai.[142] Ferry services to Hong Kong and mainland China operate out of Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal, and Taipa Ferry Terminal. Daily helicopter service is also available to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.[143]

The Macau Light Rapid Transit (MLRT) also known in Portuguese as Metro Ligeiro de Macau (MLM) is a mass transit system in Macau. It serves the Macau Peninsula, Taipa and Cotai, serving major border checkpoints such as the Border Gate, the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, the Lotus Bridge Border and the Macau International Airport.

Macau is served by one major public hospital, the Hospital Conde S. Janurio, and one major private hospital, the Kiang Wu Hospital, both located in Macau Peninsula, as well as a university associated hospital called Macau University of Science and Technology Hospital in Cotai. In addition to hospitals, Macau also has numerous health centres providing free basic medical care to residents. Consultation in traditional Chinese medicine is also available.[144]

None of the Macau hospitals are independently assessed through international healthcare accreditation. There are no western-style medical schools in Macau, and thus all aspiring physicians in Macau have to obtain their education and qualification elsewhere.[145] Local nurses are trained at the Macau Polytechnic Institute and the Kiang Wu Nursing College.[146][147] Currently there are no training courses in midwifery in Macau.[citation needed] A study by the University of Macau, commissioned by the Macau SAR government, concluded that Macau is too small to have its own medical specialist training centre.[148]

The Macau Corps of Firefighters (Portuguese: Corpo de Bombeiros de Macau) is responsible for ambulance service (Ambulncia de Macau). The Macau Red Cross also operates ambulances (Toyota HiAce vans) for emergency and non-emergencies to local hospitals with volunteer staff. The organization has a total of 739 uniformed firefighters and paramedics serving from 7 stations in Macau.[149]

The Health Bureau in Macau is mainly responsible for coordinating the activities between the public and private organizations in the area of public health, and assure the health of citizens through specialized and primary health care services, as well as disease prevention and health promotion.[150] The Macau Centre for Disease Control and Prevention was established in 2001, which monitors the operation of hospitals, health centres, and the blood transfusion centre in Macau. It also handles the organization of care and prevention of diseases affecting the population, sets guidelines for hospitals and private healthcare providers, and issues licences.[151]

As of 2016[update] Macau healthcare authorities send patients to Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong in instances where the local Macau hospitals are not equipped to deal with their scenarios, and many Macau residents intentionally seek healthcare in Hong Kong because they place more trust in Hong Kong doctors than in Mainland-trained doctors operating in Macau.[148]

Education in Macau does not have a single centralised set of standards or curriculum. Individual schools follow different educational models, including Chinese, Portuguese, Hong Kong, and British systems.[152] Children are required to attend school from the age of five until completion of lower secondary school, or at age 15. Of residents aged 3 and older, 69 per cent completed lower secondary education, 49 per cent graduated from an upper secondary school, 21 per cent earned a bachelor's degree or higher.[153] Mandatory education has contributed to an adult literacy rate of 96.5 per cent. While lower than that of other developed economies, the rate is due to the influx of refugees from mainland China during the post-war colonial era. Much of the elderly population were not formally educated due to war and poverty.[154]

Most schools in the territory are private institutions. Out of the 77 non-tertiary schools, 10 are public and the other 67 are privately run.[155] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau maintains an important position in territorial education, managing 27 primary and secondary schools.[156] The government provides 15 years of free education for all residents enrolled in publicly run schools,[155] and subsidises tuition for students in private schools. Students at the secondary school level studying in neighbouring areas of Guangdong are also eligible for tuition subsidies.[157]

The vast majority of schools use Cantonese as the medium of instruction, with written education in Chinese and compulsory classes in Mandarin. A minority of private schools use English or Portuguese as the primary teaching language. Luso-Chinese schools mainly use Chinese, but additionally require mandatory Portuguese-language classes as part of their curriculum.[152]

Macau has ten universities and tertiary education institutes. The University of Macau, founded in 1981, is the territory's only public comprehensive university. The Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau is the oldest higher institute, specialising in educating future nursing staff for the college's parent hospital. The University of Saint Joseph, Macau University of Science and Technology, and the City University of Macau were all established in subsequent years. Five other institutes specialise in specific vocations or provide continuing education.[158]

The mixing of the Chinese and Portuguese cultures and religious traditions for more than four centuries has left Macau with an inimitable collection of holidays, festivals and events. The biggest event of the year is the Macau Grand Prix in November,[159] when the main streets in Macau Peninsula are converted to a racetrack bearing similarities with the Monaco Grand Prix. Other annual events include Macau Arts festival in March, the International Fireworks Display Contest in September, the International Music festival in October and/or November, and the Macau International Marathon in December.

The Lunar Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival and celebration normally takes place in late January or early February.[160] The Pou Tai Un Temple in Taipa is the place for the Feast of Tou Tei, the Earth god, in February. The Procession of the Passion of Our Lord is a well-known Roman Catholic rite and journey, which travels from Saint Austin's Church to the Cathedral, also taking place in February.[161]

A-Ma Temple, which honours the Goddess Matsu, is in full swing in April with many worshippers celebrating the A-Ma festival. In May it is common to see dancing dragons at the Feast of the Drunken Dragon and twinkling-clean Buddhas at the Feast of the Bathing of Lord Buddha. In Coloane Village, the Taoist god Tam Kong is also honoured on the same day.[161] Dragon Boat Festival is brought into play on Nam Van Lake in June and Hungry Ghosts' festival, in late August and/or early September every year. All events and festivities of the year end with Winter Solstice in December.

Macau preserves many historical properties in the urban area. The Historic Centre of Macau, which includes some twenty-five historic locations, was officially listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on 15 July 2005 during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Durban, South Africa.[162]However, the Macao government is criticized for ignoring the conservation of heritage in urban planning.[163] In 2007, local residents of Macao wrote a letter to UNESCO complaining about construction projects around world heritage Guia Lighthouse (Focal height 108 meters), including the headquarter of the Liaison Office (91 meters). UNESCO then issued a warning to the Macau government, which led former Chief Executive Edmund Ho to sign a notice regulating height restrictions on buildings around the site.[164] In 2015, the New Macau Association submitted a report to UNESCO claiming that the government had failed to protect Macao's cultural heritage against threats by urban development projects. One of the main examples of the report is that the headquarter of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, which is located on the Guia foothill and obstructs the view of the Guia Fortress (one of the world heritages symbols of Macao). One year later, Roni Amelan, a spokesman from UNESCO Press service, said that the UNESCO has asked China for information and is still waiting for a reply.[165][164] In 2016, the Macau government approved an 81-meter construction limit for the residential project, which reportedly goes against the city's regulations on the height of buildings around world heritage site Guia Lighthouse.[164]

Food in Macau is mainly based on both Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine, drawing influences from Indian and Malay dishes as well, reflecting a unique cultural and culinary blend after centuries of colonial rule.[166] Portuguese recipes were adapted to use local ingredients, such as fresh seafood, turmeric, coconut milk, and adzuki beans. These adaptations produced Macanese variations of traditional Portuguese dishes including caldo verde, minchee, and cozido portuguesa. While many restaurants claim to serve traditional Portuguese or Macanese dishes, most serve a mix of Cantonese-Portuguese fusion cuisine. Galinha portuguesa is an example of a Chinese dish that draws from Macanese influences, but is not part of Macanese cuisine.[167] Cha chaan teng, a type of fast casual diner originating in Hong Kong that serves that region's interpretation of Western food, are also prevalent in Macau.[168] Pastel de nata, pork chop buns, and almond biscuits are popular street food items.[167]

Despite its small area, Macau is home to a variety of sports and recreational facilities that have hosted a number of major international sporting events, including the 2005 East Asian Games, the 2006 Lusophony Games, and the 2007 Asian Indoor Games.

The territory regularly hosts the Macau Grand Prix, one of the most significant annual motorsport competitions that uses city streets as the racetrack. It is the only street circuit that hosts Formula Three, touring car, and motorcycle races in the same event. The Guia Circuit, with narrow corner clearance and a winding path, is considered an extremely challenging course and a serious milestone for prospective Formula One racers.[169]

Macau represents itself separately from mainland China with its own sports teams in international competitions. The territory maintains its own National Olympic Committee, but does not compete in the Olympic Games. Current International Olympic Committee rules specify that new NOCs can only be admitted if they represent sovereign states (Hong Kong has participated in the Olympics since before the regulation change in 1996).[170]

Macau has six sister cities, listed chronologically by year joined:[171]

Additionally, Macau has other cultural agreements with the following cities:

Macau is part of the Union of Luso-Afro-Americo-Asiatic Capital Cities[173][174] from 28 June 1985, establishing brotherly relations with the following cities:

Links to related articles

Coordinates: 2210N 11333E / 22.167N 113.550E / 22.167; 113.550

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Macau - Wikipedia

Macau, special administrative region (Pinyin: tebie xingzhengqu; Wade-Giles romanization: te-pieh hsing-cheng-ch) of China, on the countrys southern coast. Macau is located on the southwestern corner of the Pearl (Zhu) River (Chu Chiang) estuary (at the head of which is the port of Guangzhou [Canton]) and stands opposite the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which is some 40 miles (60 km) away on the eastern side of the estuary.

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Macau comprises a small narrow peninsula projecting from the mainland province of Guangdong and includes an area comprising the islands of Taipa and Coloane, which are joined by an expanse of land that was reclaimed from the sea and is known as Cotai. Extending up a hillside is the city of Macau, which occupies almost the entire peninsula. The name Macau, or Macao (Pinyin: Aomen; Wade-Giles romanization: Ao-men), is derived from the Chinese Ama-gao, or Bay of Ama, for Ama, the patron goddess of sailors.

Macau Peninsula is connected to the island area by bridges. Both the peninsula and the island area consist of small granite hills surrounded by limited areas of flatland. The original natural vegetation was evergreen tropical forest before the hills were stripped for firewood and construction. No part of Macau reaches any great elevation; the highest point, 565 feet (172 metres), is at Coloane Peak (Coloane Alto) on Coloane. There are no permanent rivers, and water is either collected during rains or piped in from the mainland.

Macau lies just within the tropics, and it has a monsoonal (wet-dry) climate. Four-fifths of its total average annual rainfall of 83 inches (2,120 mm) falls within the summer rainy season (AprilSeptember), when the southwest monsoon blows. Temperatures reach 84 F (29 C) in the summer and fall to 59 F (15 C) in winter. Besides being rainy, the summer months are also hot, humid, and unpleasant. Winters, on the other hand, are somewhat cooler and less humid and can be delightful.

Nearly all of the population, of which a great majority lives on Macau Peninsula, is ethnic Chinese, born on either the mainland or Macau. There are also small groups of other Asians (including people of mixed Chinese and Portuguese ancestry, often called Macanese). However, the once-significant Portuguese minority has been reduced to only a small proportion of the population. Of the ethnic Chinese, the vast majority are Cantonese speakers, and a few speak Hakka. Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are both official languages; English is also commonly spoken.

Macaus population is overwhelmingly Buddhist, while others adhere to Daoism and Confucianism or combinations of the three. Among the small number of Christians, the great majority are Roman Catholics. About one-sixth of the population professes no religious affiliation.

Macau is one of the most densely populated places in the world, and the entire population is classed as urban. Macau has a relatively older population, with less than one-fourth being younger than age 25.

The service sector dominates the economy, employing about three-fourths of the total labour force. There are few natural resources, an exception being fish in the Pearl River estuary, which are used for local needs. Agriculture is minimal; small quantities of vegetables are grown, and there is some poultry raising (chickens and eggs).

Macau is a free port, and trade is vital. The mainland is of major importance as a supplier of food and inexpensive consumer goods, and a 2004 agreement with China that eliminated tariffs on many of Macaus goods helped increase exports to the mainland. Much of Macaus imports consist of raw materials or semifinished goods for manufacturing purposes. Other imports include machinery and apparatuses, and imported petroleum provides most of the power for domestic electric generation. However, some two-thirds of Macaus power requirements must be imported from Guangdong. Apparel and textile fabrics are the primary exports, and reexports constitute a small but significant proportion of the total value of exports. China is Macaus principal trading partner; trade with the United States and Hong Kong is also significant. In 1991 Macau became a member of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, now the World Trade Organization.

In 1989 the Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority of Macau replaced the Instituto Emissor de Macau as regulator of the currency, the Macau pataca, which is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar. Commercial and foreign banks, as well as banks of issue and a banking association, constitute Macaus banking and financial system. Since the mid-1990s the government has made efforts to attract foreign investors and thus diversify the economy away from its heavy reliance on tourism.

Nonetheless, tourism and gambling are the most important components of Macaus overall economy, and the region in effect serves as the playground of nearby Hong Kong and, increasingly, the Chinese mainland. High-speed hydrofoils, as well as some traditional but slower river ferries, carry tourists from Hong Kong and Shenzhen (just north of Hong Kong) to Macaus numerous gambling casinos, bars, hotels, and other attractions. Internal transport is good, and there are local ferries between the peninsula and the islands. Following the December 1999 transfer of administrative status from Portugal to China, Macau remained a free and open port. An international airport became operational in Macau in 1995.

Before it became a special administrative region of China in 1999, Macau followed the colonial constitution promulgated in 1976; it was administered by a governor, who in agreement with the Legislative Assembly was appointed by the Portuguese president. With the transfer of sovereignty over the territory to China, the Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region, which outlined a policy of one country, two systems, went into effect. For a period of 50 years, Macau will thus retain its capitalist economy and some political autonomy, but foreign policy and defense matters will remain under Chinese administration.

According to the Basic Law, the chief executive, who serves a five-year term, holds executive authority but is under the jurisdiction of the central government in Beijing. An election committee of 300 members, who serve five-year terms, selects the chief executive, who can serve up to two consecutive five-year terms. The chief executive appoints an executive council, which consists of 7 to 11 members, to assist in policy making. The legislature is a single-chamber Legislative Assembly, headed by an elected president and vice president; the assembly has 33 members, who serve four-year terms and are selected by a combination of direct popular election (14), indirect election by a committee of special-interest groups (12), and appointment by the chief executive (7).

Law is based on the Portuguese system. The judicial system was completely administered from Portugal until 1993, when a high court of justice was established in Macau. A new penal code was authorized in 1996 in response to a rise in crime. The Basic Law states that the judicial system remains intact with the transfer of sovereignty and that all judges are appointed by the chief executive. The highest court is the Court of Final Appeal, headed by a chief justice. There are also lower primary courts, intermediate courts, and administrative courts. Macau has a small security force, but defense is the responsibility of the central government in Beijing.

Primary and secondary education in Macau is overwhelmingly at private schools, although the great majority of these schools receive government subsidies. Five years of primary education are officially compulsory, and education is free for children from age 6 to 15. Most receive instruction in Chinese (Cantonese), while the remainder are taught in either English or Portuguese. The University of Macau, formerly the University of East Asia, opened in the early 1990s. In the early 2000s plans were made to move the university from its location on Taipa Island to a parcel of land on Chinas Hengqin Island. An agreement for jurisdiction of the land to be transferred to Macau was reached in 2009 as part of a 40-year lease from China. The new campus was inaugurated in 2013, and relocation was completed in 2014. Literacy is now nearly universal in Macau; a slightly larger proportion of males than females is literate.

There are medical centres and hospitals in Macau, and traditional Chinese medicine is also practiced. The elderly receive medications free of charge. The average life expectancy is about 80 years, and the birth and infant mortality rates are both low. The government has constructed low-income housing units, and the private sector has introduced social housing with controlled prices.

Chinese culture predominates, overlaid by a veneer of Portuguese architecture (notably churches and cathedrals) and customs. Chinese temples and shrines coexist with restored villas from the colonial period. Barrier Gate, which links Macau Peninsula to the mainland, is a popular spot for tourists, as are such early 17th-century structures as Monte Fort and the nearby ruined facade of St. Pauls Cathedral (destroyed 1835). The historic buildings on the peninsula collectively were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005.

As is the case in Hong Kong, Cantonese pop (canto-pop) is a popular form of music. Spectator sports include both dog and horse racing. The Macau Grand Prix attracts numerous international competitors and fans of motor racing. Macaus major sports complexes include the Macau Olympic Complex and the Macau East Asian Games Dome; the latter was built for the 2005 East Asian Games, hosted by Macau. Football (soccer), track and field, volleyball, and roller hockey are popular team and individual sports. In the 1990s Macau hosted several roller hockey world championships.

The former Lus de Cames Museum, named for the Portuguese poet and writer of the epic Os Lusadas, was in a 17th-century house that once was used by the British East India Company; its collections are now part of the Macau Museum of Art and feature Chinese pottery, paintings, and artifacts. Adjacent to the art museum is the Macau Cultural Centre, with several performance and exhibition venues. Also of note is the Macau Museum in the Monte Fort compound, which has exhibits on the history of the region.

Local radio stations in Macau (one state-run) and a state-run television station broadcast programs in Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese. In addition, cable and satellite television broadcasting is available, and television and radio broadcasts also come from Hong Kong. Several daily newspapers are circulated; most are published in Chinese, but a handful are in Portuguese and English. Internet use is widespread, and mobile telephone usage is ubiquitous.

The first Portuguese ship anchored in the Pearl River estuary in 1513, and further Portuguese visits followed regularly. Trade with China commenced in 1553. Four years later Portuguese paying tribute to China settled in Macau, which became the official and principal entrept for all international trade with China and Japan and an intermediary port for ships traveling from Lisbon to Nagasaki (at the time, Japans only outport for trade). China, nonetheless, still refused to recognize Portuguese sovereignty over the territory. The first governor was appointed in the 17th century, but the Portuguese remained largely under the control of the Chinese. Missionaries carried over on Portuguese ships transformed Macau into an East Asian centre of Christianity. Even though Chinas trade with the outside world was gradually centralized in Guangzhou (Canton) toward the end of the 18th century, merchants were allowed into Guangzhou only during the trading seasonfrom November to Mayand the international merchant community established itself at Macau. By the mid-19th century the British colony of Hong Kong had surpassed Macau in trade, and within a few years the merchants had largely deserted the Portuguese possession, which never again was a major entrept.

In the 1930s and 40s Macau, declared a neutral territory during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II, became a refuge for both Chinese and Europeans. The Chinese population in the territory continued to grow when the communist government assumed power in China in 1949. In 1951 Portugal officially made Macau an overseas province. Following a military coup in Portugal in 1974, the government allotted more administrative autonomy and economic independence to the territory. The constitution promulgated in 1976 established the Legislative Assembly, which was dominated by the minority Portuguese. Until diplomatic relations were solidified between Portugal and the communist government in China in 1979, discussions on transferring Macau to Chinese control were fruitless.

In March 1984 the Portuguese governor dissolved the assembly in response to opposition within the government to extend the right to vote to the Chinese majority. A few months later new elections, which included Chinese suffrage, finally brought a significant number of Chinese deputies into the government. In April 1987 Portugal and China reached an agreement to return Macau to Chinese rule in 1999, using the Hong Kong Joint Declaration between Britain and China as a model. They agreed to provisions under the Basic Law that would ensure the autonomy of Macau for 50 years after the start of Chinese rule. These included Macaus right to elect local leaders, the right of its residents to travel freely, and the right to maintain its way of life, both economically and socially. Defense and foreign policy matters were to be administered by China, and those living in Macau without Portuguese passports would become Chinese citizens. Elections continued to turn out record numbers of voters and a Chinese majority legislature. On December 20, 1999, Macau became a special administrative region under Chinese sovereignty, as Hong Kong had in 1997.

The period since reunification has been peaceful and marked by increasing prosperity. Much of the regions economic growth has come from the tremendous expansion in gambling and gaming since 2000, which transformed Macau into one of the worlds largest gambling centres (in terms of revenue). Tourism also has risen sharply from levels in the 1990s. Major infrastructure projects have included continued land reclamation throughout the region and a third bridge (opened 2005) between Macau Peninsula and Taipa Island. The political situation has been stable, with orderly legislative elections. Ho Hau Wah (Edmund Ho) was named Macaus first chief executive at reunification in 1999; he was reelected to a second term in 2004. In 2009 Chui Sai On was elected president, succeeding Hau. By the mid-2010s his administration was facing a sharp decline in gaming revenues.

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Macau | History, Geography, & Map | Britannica

First, they banned a photographic exhibition, then they banned a June 4 vigil about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Neither had ever been forbidden since 1990.

Last Friday was the Macau Court of Final Appeals (CFA) opportunity to show that the police decision may have been politicised, but the court applied the law: that separation of powers, rule of law and fundamental rights are taken seriously in Macau. Sadly, the CFA upheld the police ban.

Within its more than 30 pages of the CFA ruling on an appeal against the banning of the June 4 vigil (Chinese and Portuguese), you will not find the word Tiananmen or reference to the June 4, 1989 affair. Not once. Neither will you find the appellants reasoning.

The Health and the Police departments arguments occupy more than one-fourth of the judgment. There are two episodic references, but not a single paragraph on the appellants reasons. History will be provided with one side of the story alone. This unequal treatment is telling.

The CFA, like the police, grounded its decision on Covid-19 health reasons. However, there is no one currently infected in Macau and there have been no new cases in the last 50 days. The borders have been closed to non-residents, and mandatory quarantine upon entry has been imposed (with some exceptions) since March.

Students are back in schools and life is gradually getting back to normal. The Macau International Dragon Boat Race a massive event, last year with Thousands of skilled athletes participating and Thousands of people attending is going ahead in June, co-organised by the same public entity that banned the Tiananmen themed photo exhibition.

Lets walk back a few months and place this judgment in context. In late September last year, in a different case, the Macau CFA upheld a ban on protests against Hong Kong police brutality, on the embarrassing grounds that it breached Hong Kong law (Chinese and Portuguese).

Proscribing a fundamental right based on a law from another jurisdiction throws to the wind centuries of constitutional doctrine. This is akin to the Macau CFA holding that an assembly against gender discrimination would disrespect Saudi Arabia law.

The 2019 CFA judgment also claimed that should the Macau Police allow the assembly to take place, its decision would very likely be interpreted as meaning that the [Macau] police agreed with the applicants decry of the Hong Kong Police.

According to this Macau CFA doctrine, police should only allow protests which they do not disagree with. Police patrol political ideas and the CFA condones.

The 2019 judgment did not only blatantly violate the right of assembly. It disregarded the rule of law, which requires that the law be above politics and be truthfully and consistently applied. That judgment heralded the first-day-of-the-rest-of-Macaus-life.

This is the context in which last Fridays judgment should be read, and the reason it came as no surprise. With all its unavoidable flaws, we can trust Macau courts on mainstream matters of justice. But on constitutional matters with a political tone, justice risks losing relevance.

Of the two statutes made relevant to the ruling, the Right of Assembly Statute is clear: an assembly can only be banned if its purpose is contrary to the law (Article 2). In this case, the purpose was to decry the Tiananmen massacre and express solidarity with its victims.

This is not unlawful. An unlawful purpose would be, say, an assembly seeking blatant racist and discriminatory goals, in breach of a criminal provision. It is the purpose that must be illegal. The CFA judgment fails to consider this.

To be contrary to a law in Macau means to breach a statute approved by the Legislative Assembly. The right of assembly cannot be banned on the grounds of contradicting a chief executive (CE) or police order. It is not just me saying it, it is provided by Article 40 of the Basic Law and Article 2 of the said statute. It is there in black and white. This is not something that can be missed.

No assembly can be banned based solely on the Right of Assembly Statute because this statute does not list any specific reason for banning assemblies. They can only be banned when another statute outlaws it. This requires another law stipulating that the purpose is illegal.

The CFA relied on Article 3 of the prevention and control of transmissible diseases statute (the Health Statute) and on a number of Macaus CDC recommendations. It argues that the assembly would be illegal because the Health Statute provides that everyone must abide by orders and measures issued by the relevant authorities.

However, as noted by one judge who partially dissented, Articles 23 to 25(1.1) of the Health Statute provide that the CE (not the police) is the only authority competent to issue special measures restricting not prohibiting social gatherings based on health reasons. Yet, the CE did not issue any such special measure.

This is an insurmountable obstacle because it means that no valid order exists to ban social gatherings. The CDC recommendations are legally irrelevant for the patently obvious reason that they are not mandatory, and any police order to that effect would be illegal; as would any CE special measure prohibiting it under the Health Statute instead of just restricting it.

The CFA tries to sidestep this undodgeable obstacle by saying that the police order banning the June 4 vigil, although based on health reasons, was not under the Health Statute. It was issued under the Right of Assembly Statute, the CFA claims.

This is flawed because as we saw and the CFA agrees the Right of Assembly Statue cannot apply alone. It depends on another law determining that the assemblys specific purpose is illegal.

Moreover, if the police order was not valid under the Health Statute and, as the CFA claims, was not issued under such statute, why did the CFA talk about the Health Statute in the first place? If it was not applicable, why apply it? To cite Bentham, it seems nonsense upon stilts.

It is a truism to say that fundamental rights are not absolute. But they can only be limited by law. Not by the police. The CFA elevated the police to a status that it does not enjoy.

If a fundamental right is to be lawfully restricted, it must be done proportionally and only in as much as necessary. Adjudicating on fundamental rights is not like flipping a two-sided coin.

Three hundred people were expected in Senado Square. There could have been room to hold the vigil with each participant wearing protective masks and abiding by the social distancing guidelines. Why the outright ban?

According to the Health Statute, not even the CE could approve special measures prohibiting social gatherings, only restricting them. The police decision violated the principle of proportionality and was invalid for that reason as well.

Lets revisit last years judgment and see how it compares with the judgement banning of the 2020 Tiananmen vigil.

The 2019 judgment would say that the Tiananmen vigil was rightly proscribed because it is contrary to Chinese law. It would also say that should the Macau Police allow the assembly to take place, its decision would be very likely interpreted as meaning that the [Macau] police agreed with the applicants decry of the Tiananmen massacre.

If the true reasons behind the 2020 assembly ban are the same as the ones behind the 2019 ban, even a one-person vigil despite there being no remaining coronavirus cases would have been prohibited on health grounds.

The word Tiananmen may have been omitted, but it is not forgotten.

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Something is wrong when Macau bars mention of Tiananmen Square massacre - Hong Kong Free Press

A professor for Macaus economy and gaming industry says it is too early to predict what kind of influence US economic sanctions imposed on Hong Kong would have on Macaus economy, but suggested the Macau SAR government and operators pay close attention to US-China relations in the second half of this year.

US President Donald Trump threatened to place sanctions on Hong Kong this week after the Chinese National Peoples Congress (NPC) agreed to implement a national security law on Hong Kong. The law would include revoking Hong Kongs preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China. So far the White House has not provided an implementation timeline for any sanctions.

As Hong Kong fears losing its special close economic ties with the US, the escalating tensions between China and the US once again raise concerns about the impact this will have on Macaus economy and gaming industry.

Ricardo Chi Sen Siu, Associate Professor in Business Economics and Director of the Centre for Career and Research Advancement in Integrated Resorts at Macau University, told Inside Asian Gamingthe US Presidential election in November could have a big say in future relations between the nations.

No matter the US sanctions on Hong Kong in recent days or US-China trade disputes in recent years, it is hard to have any clear and accurate predictions about the influence on Macau before the US election, Sui said. There are too many uncertainties.

The Chinese NPC will offer legislative details of its national security law in Hong Kong in late June, with Siu suggesting Western governments will wait until then before making any decisions on how to react.

Unlike Hong Kong, Macau has always maintained a close relationship with the Beijing Government, and Macau officials and NPC deputies have expressed support for the Hong Kong national security law.

But Sui said even though the implementation of the national security law would lead US capital to be withdrawn from Hong Kong, its still too early to say whether the US-China relations would cause difficulties for US capital on the re-tendering of gaming licenses in 2022 in Macau.

Sui suggested the Macau SAR government and gaming operators keep an eye on developments between the US and China but should focus more on boosting their gaming and tourism offerings after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Professor: too early to predict impact of US-China tensions over Hong Kong on Macau gaming industry - Inside Asian Gaming

Inside Asian Gamingwill host the latest installment of its GAME online interactive experience tonight, 2 June 2020, at 17:00 Macau time, featuring Walt Power, CEO of Ho Tram Project, as special guest.

Power, whose 17 years working in the Macau casino industry included stints as SVP of Operations for Sands China subsidiary Venetian Macau Limited and Chief Operating Officer of Studio City developer New Cotai Entertainment, was most recently CEO and Executive Director of South Shore Holdings, majority owner of THE 13 Hotel.

His appointment as CEO of Ho Tram Project, which operates The Grand Ho Tram Strip outside Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City, was announced earlier this month.

Over the course of 40 minutes on Tuesday 2 June, Power will reveal and discuss what he describes as five false paradigms of the Macau gaming industry. He will also briefly discuss his new role at The Grand Ho Tram Strip.

The event will comprise a 20-minute interview byIAGs Vice Chairman and CEO Andrew W Scott, followed by a 20-minute AMA (ask me anything) session during which GAME members will be able to ask Mr Power anything they wish.

Only GAME members will be able to attend the online interactive event. Industry friends and colleagues can sign up for free atwww.iaggame.com.

First announced byIAGin late March, GAME is a brand new online innovation and solutions platform developed in response to the challenges posed to the Asian gaming industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Short for Gaming Asia Mega Experience, GAME is a recognition of the difficulties faced in bringing the industry together at a time when we need to collaborate and develop innovative ideas more than ever before.

It provides a variety of interactive and engaging online experiences ranging from interviews with industry heavyweights and keynote speeches to workshops, talks and panel discussions.

For more information on GAME and to join the more than 300 current GAME members for free, visitwww.iaggame.com.

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Special guest Walt Power to discuss the five false paradigms of the Macau gaming industry in GAME3 tonight - Inside Asian Gaming