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By Alexandra Stevenson and Zixu Wang
Report from Macau
Macau, the world’s gambling capital, is becoming more intertwined with a Chinese neighbor — one person, train and building at a time.
Macau, a former Portuguese colony, was reconquered 25 years ago through China and declared a special administrative zone, part of the mainland but with some independence. Beijing agreed not to touch the 12-square-mile territory.
Like its neighbor Hong Kong, Macau would be part of China but free to govern itself and manage its economy without interference from Beijing. It is now the most lucrative gambling destination in the world, attracting major American casinos such as Wynn and Sands and catering primarily to Chinese tourists.
Today, the Chinese political experience in Macau is going through a transition. Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who visited Macau this week to mark the anniversary of the territory’s “return to the motherland,” wants Macau to function with less independence from mainland China. According to Xi, Macau will shed its economic dependence on gambling and play a role in reviving China’s lagging customer economy.
At the center of this new development is Hengqin, a Chinese island separated from Macau by a river.
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