TNAG-1145-FCO40-1425-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1982 — Page 20

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The

Dual

y the Macau Legislative Assembly in mid-1980, the Chinese deputies (and two Portuguese deputies) boycotted the debates and in the absence of a quorum, the draft was not agreed. present Governor spoke out against the reforms in an interview given to the Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias last February. He reaffirmed his confidence in the existing arrangements. responsibility would be a recipe for inefficiency, he said, as the Governor's job would be liable to change hands with every change of Government. He admitted that there was not full democracy in the territory, but said that this would be unrealistic, since the small number of registered electors would elect a Portuguese-dominated Assembly. The Governor's nominations were intended to redress this balance in favour of the 97 per cent who are of Chinese race. He said that the PRC would be opposed to a fully democratic assembly, as it would imply a different Portuguese perception of the territory. The debate continues in Portugal

and Macau. Some Portuguese parties believe that the Portuguese Government should propose the Governor, whom the President would then appoint. One of the Macau political parties, the Association for the Defence of the Interests of Macau still apparently favours reforms under which the Governor would lose the right to appoint the five members of the Legislative Assembly and the Assembly would no longer need a two thirds majority to overcome the Government's veto.

9. In the same interview, the Governor said that there were now 10,000 registered electors out of a total population of 400,000. In the last elections (September 1980), however, only 2400 (mostly Portuguese) exercised their vote out of a registered electorate of 4,000.

10.

Since the passage of the Portuguese Nationality bill in October 1981, Portuguese nationality can only be acquired by descent from Portuguese parents. Previously, persons born in Macau acquired Portuguese nationality automatically. Providing they had registered, they could obtain a Portuguese passport with unrestricted access to the metropolitan country. They could also vote in Portuguese elections. Naturalisation for those not born in Macau was a difficult process. The applicant had to demonstrate an ability to speak Portuguese and a connection with Portugal. It is unlikely that many new arrivals from China acquired Portuguese citizenship in this way.

Macau's relations with China

11.

In line with the improved state of relations between China and Hong Kong, Sino-Macau relations are good, and have improved since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal in 1979.

12.

Chinese influence over the Government of Macau reached its height following riots in 1966 inspired by the Cultural Revolution, and the acceptance by the Governor of a series of humiliating demands. Chinese domination of Macau has since receded, largely as a result of a deliberate policy of restraint on the Chinese side. But the Macau Government takes care to consult unofficial Chinese

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/representatives