Conference-Eve of Handover

Tourism and education were earmarked as major priorities as was the need for Macau to strengthen international connections to the EU and South America, with particular attention given to Latin speaking countries. Macau's language skills and cultural understanding in these regions would help to provide China with a strong bridge to those countries, in academics, politics, business, tourism, and other areas, in ways that were seen as being in addition to what Hong Kong could provide. Macau's unique relationship with the EU through the connections with Portugal were also pointed out as positive advantages to China, which could be used to strengthen trading relations with the EU especially services to small and medium enterprises. All of these factors were seen as Macau's comparative advantages that were supplemental to what Hong Kong could offer, and seen as positive elements for China's development as well.

On 29-30 October 1999, the University of Hong Kong hosted the "International Conference on Macao on the Eve of the Handover." The conference was hailed as "one of high caliber" providing in-depth coverage of Macau's political, international, educational, and cultural environments on the eve of the historical handover to China on 20 December 1999. Participants came from Macau, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Portugal, and the United States. The conference was also well attended by many international reporters.

The participants discussed the implementation of the "one country, two systems" concept in Macau after the handover, and the different application of that system compared to Hong Kong. Emphasis was placed on the uniqueness of Macau's cultural heritage, political and law institutions, economic and educational structures, compared to Hong Kong. Because of these differences, attention was given to the importance of the "one country, two systems" after the handover in identifying, maintaining, developing, promoting Macau's inherent "comparative advantages."