British Embassy
11 Guang Hua Lu Jian Guo Men Wai Peking People's Republic of China
Telex 22191 Cable Prodrome Peking Telephone 521961/2/3/4/5
TW M Smith Esq
Hong Kong Dept
FCO
35 pa Macan.
لا
Your reference
Our reference
Date
393/23
30 March 1987
Дела Тога
нив огова
02 APR 1997
MACAO
A
3/4
1.
The "People's Daily" of 27 March carried an editorial, reported in the New China News Agency bulletin of 28 March, on Macao following the initialling in Peking on 26 March of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on the Question of Macao.
2. The settlement of the Macao question marked yet another step forward realising the grand goal of the reunification of the motherland and would go down in history forever, the editorial said. It was another important event of historical significance following the settlement of the Hong Kong question. Smooth settlement of the Macao question had once again proved that the concept of "one country, two systems" put forward by Chairman Deng Xiaoping and formulated through careful consideration in the light of actual conditions had great vitality. To benefit its stability and development, Macao, like Hong Kong, would maintain its capitalist system during the transitional period and the considerably long period after China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao. The "one country, two systems" policy, as the established national policy for the realisation of the reunification of the motherland would not change : China was sincere and full of confidence in its implementation.
3.
The initialling of the Declaration marked a new stage in Sino-Portuguese relations. The "People's Daily" hoped that both countries would handle problems which arose during the transitional period in a spirit of friendly co-operation, mutual understanding and accommodation and that they would make joint efforts to implement the Declaration comprehensively in order to promote friendly bilateral relations and co-operation.