Since the 1999 handover by Lisbon, Macau has witnessed little of the dissent that has exploded in Hong Kong during six months of often violent pro-democracy protests as large chunks of the population seethes under Beijing’s rule. Like Hong Kong, it maintains its own currency, judiciary and the free market. Dramatic transformation“It’s totally one country, one system,” a 34-year-old local who regularly travels to Hong Kong told AFP, adding that protesting in Macau was “pointless and dangerous”. “There are casinos, more and more tourists and it’s easy to find a job with a high salary,” he added. But while Macau has grown rich and been politically stable in the 20 years of Chinese rule, it has many vulnerabilities.

Source: The Guardian December 18, 2019 10:30 UTC