Different Roads to Home: the retrocession of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese sovereignty

The retrocession to Chinese sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997 and Macau in 1999 have been milestones in the PRC’s national reunification drive. While these two South China coast enclaves share many similarities under Western colonial rule, their homecoming to China was markedly different in several key dimensions. HK’s contested sovereignty and democratization mired Sino–British cooperation over transition matters, except for the British forces–PLA agreements on military sites and advance teams. The more cordial Sino–Portuguese ties masked unsatisfactory localization efforts in Macau, where Beijing’s decision to station PLA troops provoked Lisbon’s strong objection. The sharpest contrast was between HK’s widespread crisis of confidence and Macau’s sense of acceptance and relief at the prospect of autonomy under Chinese Communism.