Macau, the gambling capital of the world, is now facing new political challenges from China. China’s President Xi Jinping recently visited the territory to mark its anniversary. In his speech, he mentioned “return to the motherland,” indicating that the territory would operate less independently. Moreover, according to the New York Times, President Xi’s vision is that “Macau will wean itself off an economic reliance on gambling and play a role in boosting China’s lagging consumer economy.”
Macau was a former Portuguese colony which was reclaimed by China nearly 25 years ago and was declared a special administrative zone as a part of mainland China, with some autonomy. Beijing agreed to largely refrain from interfering with the 12-square-mile territory. Like nearby Hong Kong, Macau became part of China but retained the freedom to self-govern and manage its economy independently of Beijing. It swiftly emerged as the world’s most profitable gambling hub, attracting major American casinos like Wynn and Sands while primarily serving Chinese tourists. However, the recent speech of President Xi Jinping indicated that Macau is most likely to lose its autonomy and may be governed like the other provinces of China.
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Mr. Xi’s handling of Macau, a city with a population of 700,000, contrasts sharply with his approach to Hong Kong. In 2019, millions in Hong Kong protested against measures to align the territory more closely with mainland China. Beijing responded by enacting a stringent national security law and imprisoning pro-democracy leaders.
