Macao, a former Portuguese colony, was handed over to China on December 20, 1999.

Macao, a former Portuguese colony, was handed over to China on December 20, 1999. During the negotiations that preceded the handover, Portugal requested strict guarantees that human rights will be respected and the death penalty will not be reintroduced. Although China makes extensive use of the death penalty, the Chinese Government agreed not to extend it to Macao.