Resumption by China of the Exercise of Sovereignty over Macao

The origin of the Macao question. Macao has been Chinese territory since time immemorial. In 1535, some Portuguese traveled to Macao by sea, anchored at its harbor and stayed there to do business. In 1553, on the excuse of drying water damaged goods, they landed on the territory and started to settle down in Macao in 1557. After the Opium War in 1840, the Portuguese Government took advantage of the defeat of the Qing Government and invaded and occupied Taipa Island and Coloane Island to the south of Macao. In March and December 1887, Portugal forced the Qing Government to sign a Protocol of Lisbon between China and Portugal and Treaty of Peking Between China and Portugal on Friendship and Commerce successively. These treaties allowed Portugal to permanently stay in and administer Macao and the lands under Macao these lands, the same as it governed other places. Portugal had since occupied Macao and included it into its territory. In 1976, the Constitution of Portugal identified Macao as a special region under the jurisdiction of Portugal.

After the founding of the People's Republic, the Chinese Government has stated on many occasions that Macao has always been Chinese territory, that the Macao question is one left over from history and that China stands for its settlement through peaceful negotiations when conditions are ripe and for the maintenance of the status quo there pending its resolution.

The signing and implementation of the Joint Declaration between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Portugal on the Question of Macao.

As early as in Feb. 1976 when China and Portugal established diplomatic ties between them, the two countries reached common understanding in principle, in which they reaffirmed that Macao was Chinese territory and should be returned to China, but the time and details about the return should be worked out by the two governments through talks in due time. President Antonio dos Santos Ramalho Eanes of the Republic of Portugal visited China in 1985, during which leaders of the two countries had friendly consultations with each other on how to settle the Macao question and agreed to conduct negotiation on this issue through the diplomatic channels.