Macau has a long heritage as the mediator between the East and the West. The port city played an especially important role as a go-between during the long era of the Canton trade. From 1698 to 1842, Canton was China's center of maritime trade with the western world, and all of that commerce had to first pass through Macau. The French and English ships were the first to arrive, and they were joined by many private traders such as Armenians and Parsees from India. The Belgians began coming in the 1710s, the Dutch in 1729, the Danes in 1731, and the Swedes in 1732. Many Austrians (Prussians) and Americans (1784) arrived later. Macau was their first stop on their way to Canton. After greeting the Portuguese Governor, they applied for a Macau Pilot to guide them up the river and acquired the necessary permits to come to Canton. The Chinese government set up a customs house in Macau to better facilitate the foreign trade. Many foreign traders kept residents in Macau, where they removed in the off-season until their ships arrived the next year in August or September.

This aspect of Macau as the gateway to China has much potential to develop tourism. MSLF has been conducting research on how to recreate the old sites and design tour routes connected to the old days of the Canton trade. MSLF promotes seminars on this topic and has a staff of highly trained individuals who know the history well, and have spent many years researching the era in archives around the world. The Foundation is continually working to find constructive ways to develop historical tourism and reclaim Macau's role as the gateway to China.