Macau prepares to celebrate 25 years of Beijing rule as Xi Jinping arrives

Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Macau on Wednesday afternoon for a three-day visit as the casino hub prepares to celebrate 25 years of Beijing rule.

The former Portuguese colony was handed over to China on December 20, 1999, under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework that promised autonomy and wider civil liberties than the Chinese mainland.

The city – the only place in China where casino gambling is permitted – has long surpassed Las Vegas to be the world’s top casino hub, fuelled by two decades of spending by Chinese visitors.

Xi will attend the inauguration of Macau’s new administration during his trip and “also conduct an inspection tour”, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Sam Hou-fai, the former president of Macau’s highest court, will be sworn in on Friday as the city’s fourth post-handover leader – and the first to be born in China and not have a background in business.

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Sam has said that Macau cannot rely solely on casinos – which account for 81 percent of government revenue – and noted the sector’s “barbaric expansion” over the years.

Macau’s economic diversification and integration into China’s regional blueprint, dubbed the Greater Bay Area, will likely be the main themes during Xi’s visit, analysts and scholars told AFP.

“(Xi) will probably want to inspect the non-gaming investments that the Macau concessionaires have promised two years ago,” said Ben Lee, a casino consultant.

Hengqin Island, which is partly leased to Macau to boost its land supply for development, will also be a likely focus of the visit, Lee said.

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Xi’s full itinerary has not been disclosed.

Authorities have stepped up security measures in the casino hub, including a temporary drone ban and partial suspension of rail services.

There were increased security checks for incoming visitors from Hong Kong, which is one hour away by ferry, and for drivers on the massive bridge that connects Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai.

All About Macau, an online news outlet, said on Tuesday that they “had to” take down an article that included residents’ comments about the heightened security.

Multiple people associated with Macau’s now-dormant pro-democracy movement told AFP that they were warned not to make critical remarks in public ahead of the anniversary.