By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor
BEIJING, China – Dozens of protesters took to the streets of Macau on Saturday demanding universal suffrage during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first official visit to the region. The demonstrators spoke out against the “One China Policy” supported by the central government in Beijing. The protesters fear the move is simply a power grab by the central government intended on striping the country’s semi-autonomous regions, like Hong Kong and Macau, of their political power.
During his visit President Xi warned the people of Macau and Hong Kong, a region racked by protests over the past few months as young demonstrators have taken to the streets to show their support for the Umbrella Revelation, to remember they are part of “one China,” as activists in both semi-autonomous territories call for free leadership elections free from the control of the central government. “We must both adhere to the ‘one China’ principle and respect the difference of the two systems,” Xi said at the inauguration of Macau’s chief executive Fernando Chui, who was selected for a second term by a pro-Beijing committee made up of 400 people in August, he was the only nominee given for the position. “This is the only way leading to sound and steady progress,” Xi added. “Otherwise a misguided approach from the beginning, just like putting one’s left foot into the right shoe, would lead us nowhere.”
On Saturday the protesters gathered in streets of Macao. “We want universal suffrage!” they chanted. The protest march in Macau’s historic district finishing in a public square where approximately 100 protesters remained into the early evening. “I am uncertain about Macau’s future, so we have to come out to make noise for ourselves,” Mark Pang, a 15-year-old high school said as he held up an open yellow umbrella in solidarity with Hong Kong’s umbrella revolution. The Macao protests come just days after Chinese police cleared the last remaining protester camps in Hong Kong.
Unlike Hong Kong, a thriving Industrial city, Macau’s economic health is heavily dependent on strong relations with mainland china, the region is the only place in China where gambling casinos are legal. Its resorts depend on wealthy high-rollers from the mainland to stay afloat. In recent months shares in Macau’s casinos have suffered. Over the past ten years Macau has become the largest gambling destination in the World, today the Casino industry accounts for more than 80% of the region’s economy.
While Macau’s democracy movement has not been as large as the movement in neighboring Hong Kong the formal Portuguese colony, which was returned to China fifteen years ago, saw its largest ever protest in May of this year. The protesters were held over proposed cash benefits for retired Macau officials, with 20,000 people taking part in the demonstrations.
For more information please see:
Al Jazeera – Protesters March in Macau during Xi’s Visit – 21 December 2014
BBC News – Xi Jinping Defends ‘One-China’ Idea in Macau, Amid Protests – 20 December 2014
The New York Times – Macau Looks Beyond Gambling As the Take from the Tables Slows – 19 December 2014 2014
Bloomberg – Macau Casinos Drop $75 Billion As China’s Crackdown Continues – 19 December 2014
