Macao Chamber of Commerce

Handover 1999

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The progression of the reunification of Macao with China

The return of Macao to China and the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region on December 20, 1999, is another great event for China -- world attention focuses upon its historical value. In celebration of this, the Chamber sets up this special column.

The design of the regional flag of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China	The design of the regional emblem of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

MAIN EVENTS LEADING THE REUNIFICATION OF MACAO WITH CHINA

1979	China and Portugal officially established diplomatic relations.
December, 1984	Mr. Li Sinian, President of the People's Republic of China (PRC), visited the Republic of Portugal (RP) and exchanged views with Portuguese leaders on the issue of Macao.
May, 1985	President of the Republic of Portugal visited China and met Chinese leader Deng Xiaopeng where both sides agreed to continue their friendly cooperation of the settlement of the issue of Macao.
June, 1986	The governments of the PRC and the RP began discussion on the issue of Macao.
April 13, 1987	After the fourth round of discussion, the Chinese government and the Portuguese government signed the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.
June 23, 1987	The National People's Congress ratified the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.
December 10, 1987	The Portuguese government endorsed the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.
January 15, 1988	Through the exchange of the instruments of ratification by the Chinese & Portuguese governments, the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration came into force.
September, 1988	The Drafting Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was established.
October, 1988 - November, 1988	The preparation works done by the Drafting Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao SAR included: Discussion of the general planning and steps of drafting, and the working method and principles of the Drafting Committee; Draft for the Structure of the Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC was adopted; Establishment of the Consultative Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC.
May 28, 1989	The Consultative Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC was established.
December, 1989- July, 1991	The stage of collecting opinions on drafting the Basic Law.
Mid July, 1991 - Mid November, 1991	Opinions were broadly collected in Macao and in the Mainland China regarding the Basic Law for Solicitation of Opinions. The Consultative Committee for the Basic Law set up five special working groups that held seventeen conferences. The Consultative Committee invited a number of the Mainland members to visit Macao for a period of nine days, in which nineteen conferences were held to discuss and collect opinions from all sections of Macao residents.
August, 1991 - March, 1992	The stage of drafting the Draft Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC.
March, 1992	The Draft Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC was adopted by the Drafting Committee at its eighth assembly.
March, 1992 - January, 1993	After the publication of the Draft Basic Law, a number of the Mainland members of the Drafting Committee came to Macao. Thirteen conferences were held to collect opinions. The Drafting Committee again revised the provisions of the Draft Basic Law.
January, 1993	After passing eighteen proposed revisions, the Drafting Committee adopted the Draft Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC which was then submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for examination.
March 31, 1993	The Basic Law of the Macao SAR of the PRC was adopted at the First Session of The Eighth National People's Congress and shall be put into effect as of December 20, 1999.
May 5, 1998	The Preparatory Committee for the Macao SAR was established.
January 26, 1999 - February 14,1999	The enrolling period for the election of the Selection Committee for the First Government of the Macao SAR of PRC.
February 3 - 9, 1999	The Organizing Committee for Celebrating the Reunification of Macao with China held four conferences to collect opinions for the celebrating activities
March 27, 1999	The Committee for the Celebrating Activities of the Reunification of Macao with China was established.
April 10, 1999	The Selection Committee for the First Government of the Macao SAR of the PRC was established.
April 12 -17, 1999	The enrolling period for the election of the first Chief Executive of the Macao SAR.
April 23, 1999	The Selection Committee for the First Government of the Macao SAR held the first meeting and elected Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah and Mr. Stanley Au as candidates for the first Chief Executive.
May 7 - 8, 1999	The Selection Committee held the second meeting and listened to the two candidates for the first Chief Executive about their thoughts of running Macao. In addition, the candidates answered questions asked by the members of the Selection Committee.
May 15,1999	Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah was elected the first Chief Executive of the Macao SAR of the PRC at the Third Plenary Session of the Selection Committee with 163 votes in a secret ballot.
May 16, 1999	The Preparatory Committee submitted the result of election to the Central People's Government for approval.
May 20, 1999	The Prime Minister of the PRC, Zhu Rongi, signed the No. 264 Decree of the State Council, appointing Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah the first Chief Executive of the Macao SAR of the PRC.
December 20, 1999	The Macao SAR of the PRC establish.