21 Dec 2010

More democracy demanded in Macau

4:15 pm on 21 December 2010

About 1000 demonstrators have marched through Macau to demand more democracy on the 11th anniversary of the handover of the former Portuguese colony to China.

Some called for improved social welfare.

Others wore panda masks in what was described as a reference to two animals recently given to Macau by Beijing.

Like Hong Kong, Macau is a semi-autonomous region of China.

It has a constitution guaranteeing Western-style freedoms not available on the mainland.

Macau was returned to China in 1999 following more than four centuries of Portuguese rule.

Since then, it has become a global gambliing hub that has outgrown Las Vegas in terms of gaming revenue.