On the eve of the new millennium, eleven days before the year 2000 is ushered in, responsibility for Macau is due to revert to the People's Republic of China, thus bringing to an end over four centuries of Portuguese administration.

The new Macau Special Administrative Region will be established on 20th December 1999 and shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy, with respect for Macau's identity and way of life.

Macau's Handover will be a truly historic event emphasising the Portuguese legacy in Macau while also marking the beginning of a new chapter in the life of this unique place.

On this page, you can consult the two documents which provide the framework for this historic process. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau signed in 1987 enshrines the commitment given by the two sovereign states concerning their respective responsibilities during the transition period that has now almost come to a close.

The Basic Law is a constitutional document approved in 1993 by the National People's Congress which shall come into force when the future Macau Special Administrative Region is established.

SINO-PORTUGUESE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF MACAU

BASIC LAW OF THE MACAU SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.