The brief answer is yes, Macau is part of China but the full story is a little more complicated. Like Hong Kong across the water, Macau has its own money, passports and legal system – even its own snazzy flag –and while Beijing has the deeds to the city, Macau is largely left to run its own affairs.
Until 1999, Macau was one of Portugal’s last surviving colonies. It was handed back to China under the same ‘one country, two systems’ policy that saw Hong Kong gifted back to China in 1997. Under the agreement signed by Portugal and China, Macau is guaranteed its own monetary system, immigration controls and legal system, wholly independent of China. The agreement also stipulates that China will not interfere in Macau’s way of life until 2049, which effectively means China won’t try and enforce communism instead of capitalism. Beijing remains responsible for foreign affairs and defence.
The city is administered as a SAR, or Special Administrative Region and has its own legislature, although the city does not enjoy full direct elections and has only limited democracy.
Key Facts About Macau Autonomy
Macau’s legal tender is the Macanese Pataca, the Chinese Rembini is not accepted at shops in Macau, although the Hong Kong Dollar is accepted.
Macau and China have a full international border. Chinese visas do not grant access to Macau nor vice versa and Chinese citizens need a visa to visit Macau. Most European citizens, as well as Australians, Americans and Canadians do not require a visa for visiting Macau.
Macanese citizens have their own passports.
The official name of Macau is the Macau Special Administrative Region.
Macau does not have embassies abroad but is represented within Chinese embassies.
Macau and China have wholly separate legals systems. The Chinese police and Public Security Bureau have no jurisdiction in Hong Kong.
The official languages of Hong Kong are Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese, not Mandarin.
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