Protest in Macau Marks 10 Years Under Chinese Rule

About a thousand people marched through the streets of Macau on Sunday. The day marked the 10th anniversary of the territory’s transfer of sovereignty to China. Protestors were demanding more political freedom and an end to corruption.

Macau’s economy exploded in recent years with its casino industry. But this boom has also led to challenges for the region—including corruption, organized crime, and North Korean money laundering.

In 2008, former Macau government official Ao Man-long was jailed for 28 years in a major corruption scandal that brought shame on the whole administration. And according to pro-democracy legislator Antonio Ng, it brought Macau’s democratic process to a standstill.

[Antonio Ng, Macau Pro-Democracy Legislator]:
"We try again to take a step towards democracy. [Former Chief Executive] Edmund Ho already promised to start democratic development in 2006, but everything stopped after the Ao Man-long [incident].”

Ng says now is the time to restart the timetable for democratic development in Macau.

Sunday’s calls for democracy came just hours after the swearing in of the territory’s new Chief Executive, Fernando Chui—handpicked by the Chinese communist regime.

Protestors also held up banners calling for universal suffrage in Macau by 2019—although some believe it’s unlikely.

[Albert Wong, Protestor]:
"I'm a little bit pessimistic, but I will say we are trying our best to educate Macau's citizens about what they can fight for."

Formerly a Portuguese colony, Macau was handed over to China on December 20, 1999. The special administrative region is now the world’s largest gaming market, with its $15 billion casino industry overtaking that of Las Vegas in 2006.