Today (December 20) is the 25th anniversary of Macau being given back to China. The former Portuguese colony, the only place where gambling is legal in China, is preparing to celebrate the occasion in grand fashion. This, amid China’s President Xi Jinping makes a three-day visit to Macau.
But how did Chinese rule return to Macau on December 20, 1999? Let’s take a closer look First let’s take a brief look at Macau. As per Britannica, Macau is on the Pearl River on China’s southern coast. It is around 60 kilometers away from Hong Kong.
Macau is made up of a small narrow peninsula jutting out of the mainland province of Guangdong as well as the Taipa and Coloane islands. The name Macau comes from China’s Ama-gao or “Bay of Ama” – named for the goddess of sailors. According to BBC , the first inhabitants of Macau on record were those looking for shelter from the Mongols between 1127 and 1279.
Macau, before the Portuguese arrived, was a small fishing village with a population of around 400. According to CIA.gov, Macau was first colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
Portuguese captain Jorge Alvares first reached China in 1513. Portuguese sailors managed to reach China by traversing the tip of Africa and sailing into the Indian Ocean basin. It was the first settlement in the Far East by Europeans.
It wasn’t smooth sailing. As per Thought.Co, Portugal took another two decades get permission from the emperor to gets its trading ships anchored in the harbou.
