Macau was part of Portugal for 500 years and part of China since 1999. The 25th anniversary is currently being celebrated. Macau is a special administrative region like Hong Kong – only without protests. What makes the difference?
In the tourist center of Macau, at the Senate Square, the Largo do Sonado, the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the handover of the former Portuguese colony are hard to miss. A red illuminated arch with a large 25 in the middle decorates the square. The adjoining promenade is decorated with alternating Chinese national flags and green Macau flags between buildings that could also be in a European city center.
“The special thing about this place is that you see a lot of colorful houses, like those in Portugal. It is very different and more attractive compared to the houses on the mainland,” said 32-year-old Chen Jingxin. She comes from mainland China herself. Ten years ago, she moved from the neighboring metropolis of Guangzhou to tranquil Macau – with only around 700,000 inhabitants – for her husband. Today she makes money from tourists, mostly from mainland China, and takes photos of them.
“A mix of China and Portugal”
Gu Liangcheng is in Macau for the first time and arrived from Shanghai. “It's a mix of Chinese and Portuguese culture, like the beautiful colored tiles. I find it quite adorable.”
The first Portuguese came to Macau by ship in the 16th century. They used silver to buy Chinese goods such as porcelain and tea. They later officially leased Macau and then colonized it. Until 1999.
At midnight on December 20th, 25 years ago, Macau was handed over to the People's Republic of China. Si Wun Cing was 19 years old at the time and was involved in the ceremony as a graphic designer. “I was really happy and excited because I worked for a long time that day and it was very tiring. Overall, the handover to China was a happy time,” she says.
Beijing's influence is great
Since the handover, Macau has been a Chinese special administrative region, just like Hong Kong, 60 kilometers to the east, and is administered according to the principle of “one country, two systems”: on the one hand, mainland China ruled by the Communist Party, on the other hand, autonomous administered special administrative regions.
Even though Macau still enjoys more freedom than most parts of China, the influence of the Chinese central government is still great. In contrast to Hong Kong, which repeatedly attracted international attention with protests after the handover to China, things remained quiet in Macau.
Even before the handover, the People's Republic's influence on Macau was greater than on Hong Kong. Most people in Macau have come to terms with belonging to China and, according to surveys, identify as Chinese.
“Macau has benefited, Hong Kong has stagnated”
Si Wun Cing also explains this by saying that a lot of things have improved economically in Macau after the handover. “Macau has always been a small and inconspicuous place, while Hong Kong was already a financial center. Macau has probably benefited from the handover, while Hong Kong has remained stagnant.”
In fact, Macau enjoyed an economic boom after the handover, largely due to the gaming industry introduced in 2003. Casinos are not allowed anywhere else in China. The city has become rich as a result, known internationally as the “Las Vegas of China”.
Today, Si Wun Cing shows how the city has changed as the curator of an exhibition with photos from 25 years ago and from today. Many pictures from earlier show barren landscapes in the background or the sea. Today there are skyscrapers there.
The Portuguese heritage is disappearing
In order to create more building land for apartments and casinos, entire districts were dug into the sea. Today they make up two thirds of the city area. “There weren't many buildings before. The ones that were there were often very Portuguese in style, had a colonial feel and were unique,” says Si Wun Cing. “Even though some of these buildings have been demolished or lost, we can relive the memories through photos.”
For the few Portuguese who still live in Macau today, photos are not enough as a reminder. Although Macau's historic old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, over the years fears have grown that Portuguese culture is dwindling.
“We have many monuments in Portugal with centuries-old tiles, and they remain very well preserved as they are,” says Amélia António. “But here in Macau, some will disappear after a certain time because there are more and more copies that are not made according to the old craftsmanship.”
“People only look at the money”
For the Portuguese António, Macau is her home; she has lived here for decades. As chairwoman of the “Casa de Portugal” organization, she wants to preserve Portuguese culture. For example, the organization offers workshops in which the craft of Portuguese tile painting is taught.
“I think the problem is that over time Macau will lose its identity. People only look at how much money they can make. And then they don't feel anything for Macau anymore,” says António.
After the handover to China, many Portuguese left Macau. According to its own information, “Casa de Portugal” now has 1,700 members. António assumes that many of them no longer live in Macau. In addition to Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, Portuguese is still an official language in Macau today.
