Assessing the “One Country, Two Systems” Formula: The Role of Macau in China’s Relations with the European Union and the Portuguese Speaking Countries

Abstract

Since the handover in 1999, Macau has arguably been erased from the Portuguese political agenda, but it has assumed an unexpected role in Chinese foreign policy, as a bridge between the People’s Republic of China and two big political blocs: the Portuguese-speaking countries and the European Union. This working paper aims at analysing the reasons underlying this fact. To do so, the analysis will focus on Macau’s external role and on its evolution within the framework of the “one country, two systems” formula since 1999. The paper will discuss if Macau enjoys some autonomy in its external relations or if it is only one of the parts of China’s broader international strategy whose main goal is to achieve economic development.