Macao, once called Hao Jing, was a subordinate of Xiangshan County in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the mid-16th century, Portuguese travellers arrived from the West and initially used Macao as a place to dry their goods. After the Opium War, the Portuguese took the advantage of the weakened Qing government and gradually colonised the region. After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the Central Government strived to safeguard China’s territorial integrity and national unity. On 1st July, 1997, Hong Kong was handed back to China. Two years later, a few days before the turn of the millennium, Macao was reunited with its motherland. 

The 20th of December 1999 was a memorable day in Chinese history. As the Chinese government and the Portuguese government completed a smooth transfer of sovereignty of Macao, the history of colonisation in China came to an end. The Central Government implemented a ‘one country, two systems’ policy in Macao and the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region marked a new era in Macao’s history.

To celebrate the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the family of the Chinese nation, composed of 56 ethnic groups, including the State Council and 32 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and a special administrative region, presented their blessings and auspicious gifts to Macao. The gifts, designed with unique artistic styles and regional characteristics, represent the best wishes of the ethnic groups for Macao’s prosperous future. They also serve as a symbol of the thriving prosperity of the motherland.

The Handover Gifts Museum of Macao, built opposite the site of the Macao handover ceremony, where the Portuguese national flag was replaced by the Chinese national flag and the Macao Special Administrative Region flag, now houses the handover gifts that symbolise the nationwide celebration. The Museum enables all Macao residents and tourists alike to learn about the unique history of the territory.

Let the reunification be engraved in our history forever as a historic milestone of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.