CHINA appears poised to clamp down on pro-democracy activists in the former Portuguese colony of Macau amid concern in Beijing at the spread of popular unrest from nearby Hong Kong.
China has become particularly suspicious of pro-democracy campaigns after months of protests in Hong Kong over fears Beijing will renege on its commitment to grant limited democracy to the former British territory.
The Chinese leadership’s concerns appeared well grounded last weekend when activists in Macau organised their own referendum to coincide with the rubber-stamp re-election of Fernando Chui, the territory’s chief executive.
Chui, 57, the son of a property tycoon, won 96% of the vote from a panel of 400 wealthy Beijing loyalists. Standing unopposed, his “election” took fewer than 30 minutes. The unofficial referendum gave a different result, with 89% of the 9,000 who took part saying they did not have confidence in Chui.
Police in Macau responded by demanding the names and identity card numbers of those who took part, but its organiser, Jason Chao, 27, refused. He instead travelled to Hong Kong to delete the details from the referendum’s database.
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On his return to Macau, Chao was held overnight by police for questioning. “The government tried to force me to hand over the personal data of all the people who took part,” he said. “What could they want those details for apart from to know who is interested in democracy? They’re spying.”
Run by the Portuguese since the mid-16th century, Macau, home to just over 620,000 people, was transferred back to China in 1999. Like Hong Kong, handed over two years earlier, it operates under a “One China, two systems” policy that is supposed to guarantee its autonomy.
However, activists complain their freedoms had been gradually eroded under pressure from Beijing. At least six campaigners and journalists were briefly detained during the referendum.
There are signs of labour unrest brewing in the territory, known as China’s Las Vegas, particularly among staff in the lucrative casino industry. “If we don’t get what we want we’ll go on strike,” said a union leader, Lee Chau. Last week thousands took to the streets to campaign for better working conditions.
Casino employees say their salaries are too low to afford local rents. Macau made £28bn in gambling revenues last year but unions claim
far too little ends up in workers’ pockets.
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In a worrying move for the authorities, pro-democracy campaigners including Chao were invited to address protesters last week outside the glitzy casinos that are Macau’s biggest employers.
The government crackdown has set off an online debate among locals, who have questioned the legality of Chao’s detention.
“With Macau, because we are small and not as well-known as Hong Kong, the government has been able to do what we call ‘closing the door and beating the dog’,” said Chao, suggesting the authorities can act with impunity. “Now people have had a taste of democracy, who knows where we can go?”