Introduction to Macau

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Macao，a tiny former Portuguese colony to the west of Hong Kong，is well known as a gambling and purism center.The territory has very close links with Hong Kong due to a reliance on the lrger of the two for trade and infrastructure and for historical reasons shares many political，social and economic elements.

Macao is located on the western edge of the Pearl River delta.It borders Zhuhai city in Guangdong province.It has a population of just 480000 and a total area of just more than 27 square km.It consists of the Macao Peninsula，Taipa Island and Coloane Island，all connected by bridges and causeways.

Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century，Macao was the first permanent European settlement in East Asia.Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal in 1987，the territory became the Macao Special Administrative Region（SAR）of China on December 20，1999.In a similar agreement to that made with Hong Kong，Macao is assured of“a high degree of autonomy”in internal matters for 50 years.

History

China has started exercising diplomacy in Macao after a lapse of 443 years.The Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao Special Administrative Region opened on December 20，1999，hours after the Chinese flag was raised at in the garden of the newly built commission building.The building is across from the Forum，where the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region was inaugurated on December 20，1999.The opening of the commission is an important system of China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Macao.Portugal’s control over Macao for 443 years ended on December 20，1999，Chinese garrison troops entered Macao at noon.The commission represents the Foreign Affairs Ministry in matter related to the central government.It is also the agency that processes applications from foreign countries and international organizations that would like to establish consulates or representative offices in Macao.Under the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region，the territory’s government has the authority to handle some of its external affairs.