Asia’s first coloniser leaves last with tears and handshakes

Macau, which became the first European territory in the far east when it was rented by China to Portuguese silk and spice traders in 1557, was returned to China under the "one country, two systems" formula used for the hand over of Hong Kong by Britain in 1997 guaranteeing autonomy for 50 years.

Incidentally, today’s handing over ceremony was exactly 38 years after India liberated another Portuguese colony in Asia, Goa.

And unlike Goa, the Portuguese left Macau in an atmosphere of cordiality, making no claims, sounding no warnings, ruffling no feathers. This was widely noticed by locals and visitors who remembered the mood of acrimony in which the British gave uptheir Hongkong, 40 miles away, in 1997.

The day belonged to Chinese President Jiang Zemin who arrived at midday, beaming, waving and stopping to kiss two cherubic children in the reception line. So large was his entourage that they needed two jumbo jets to ferry them from Beijing.

Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio had already been here, banqueting, visiting schools and swinging a golf club. But the incessant rain of three days drenched him and dampened the public mood. The Chinese showed their influence in these parts by arranging a change of weather. By the time Jiang Zemin landed, the sun was out.

That helped the farewell ceremonies of the Portuguese which began with the Governor of Macau Vasco Vieira taking leave of his official residence. He and his family shook hands with a lineup of some 50 drivers, butlers, cooks, maids and attendants. It was an occasion of great warmth. The maids wept.

Seconds before the flag was lowered, Vieira emerged from the building to be greeted by cheers from guestsand the onlookers. Three lines of policemen stood to attention as a police band struck up the Portuguese anthem and the flag was lowered, folded and handed to Vieira. He clasped it to his heart with one hand, stood for a last look at the Portuguese crest on the building’s facade and then walked to a waiting limousine to be driven away.

A cultural show, cancellation of a fireworks display because of strong winds, an official dinner reception and then it was the formal handover ceremony. Jiang Zemin repeated China’s pledge to keep the character and the capitalist system of Macau intact for at least 50 years.

When this pledge was made with respect to Hongkong two-and-a-half years ago, the British and the international (read Western) media had scoffed at it, saying that Hongkong would rapidly decline. Chris Patten, Governor at that time and chief China-baiter was in Macau today. He had the grace — or was it the politician’s thick skin to concede that “Hongkong is still a free society.”

Macau expects tobe just that, complete with its casinos going great guns as always.

The re-establishment of Chinese rule over the small peninsula, home to 4,50,000 people, means the grand 50-year Chinese plan of national reunion is two-thirds complete. The ultimate prize, Taiwan, which split from the communist mainland in 1949, still refuses to rejoin.

The hand-over also releases the final outpost of Portugal’s once vast empire, which began with Vasco de Gama’s circumnavigation in the 15th century and eventually stretched to Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, India (Goa), Malaysia and East Timor.