Article 137 Representatives of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region may, as members of delegations of the People's Republic of China, participate in international organizations or conferences in appropriate fields limited to states and affecting the Region, or may attend in such other capacity as may be permitted by the Central People's Government and the international organizations or conferences concerned, and may express their views, using the name "Macao, China."

The Macao Special Administrative Region may, using the name "Macao, China," participate in international organizations and conferences not limited to states.

The Central People's Government shall, in accordance with the circumstances and needs of the Region, adopt measures to ensure that the Macao Special Administrative Region shall continue to retain its status in an appropriate capacity in those international organizations of which the People's Republic of China is a member and in which Macao participates in one capacity or another.

The Central People's Government shall, in accordance with the circumstances and needs of the Region, facilitate the continued participation of the Macao Special Administrative Region in an appropriate capacity in those international organizations in which Macao is a participant in one capacity or another, but of which the People's Republic of China is not a member.

Article 138 The application to the Macao Special Administrative Region of international agreements to which the People's Republic of China is or becomes a party shall be decided by the Central People's Government, in accordance with the circumstances and needs of the Region, and after seeking the views of the government of the Region.

International agreements to which the People's Republic of China is not a party but which are implemented in Macao may continue to be implemented in the Macao Special Administrative Region. The Central People's Government shall, as necessary, authorize or assist the government of the Region to make appropriate arrangements for the application to the Region of other relevant international agreements.

Article 139 The Central People's Government shall authorize the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region to issue, in accordance with law, passports of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China to all Chinese citizens who hold permanent identity cards of the Region, and travel documents of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China to all other persons lawfully residing in the Region. The above passports and documents shall be valid for all states and regions and shall record the holders' right to return to the Region.

The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region may apply immigration controls on entry into, stay in and departure from the Region by persons from foreign states and regions.

Article 140 The Central People's Government shall assist or authorize the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region to negotiate and conclude visa abolition agreements with relevant foreign states or regions.

Article 141 The Macao Special Administrative Region may, as necessary, establish official or semiofficial economic and trade missions in foreign countries and shall report the establishment of such missions to the Central People's Government for the record.

Article 142 The establishment of foreign consular and other official or semi-official missions in the Macao Special Administrative Region shall require the approval of the Central People's Government.

Consular and other official missions established in Macao by states which have formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China may be maintained.

According to the circumstances of each case, consular and other official missions established in Macao by states which have no formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China may be permitted either to remain or be changed to semi-official missions.

States not recognized by the People's Republic of China may only establish non-governmental institutions in the Region.

Chapter VIII

Interpretation and Amendment of the Basic Law

Article 143 The power of interpretation of this Law shall be vested in the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress shall authorize the courts of the Macao Special Administrative Region to interpret on their own, in adjudicating cases, the provisions of this Law which are within the limits of the autonomy of the Region.

The courts of the Macao Special Administrative Region may also interpret other provisions of this Law in adjudicating cases. However, if the courts of the Region, in adjudicating cases, need to interpret the provisions of this Law concerning affairs which are the responsibility of the Central People's Government, or concerning the relationship between the Central Authorities and the Region, and if such interpretation will affect the judgments on the cases, the courts of the Region shall, before making their final judgments which are not appealable, seek an interpretation of the relevant provisions from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress through the Court of Final Appeal of the Region. When the Standing Committee makes an interpretation of the provisions concerned, the courts of the Region, in applying those provisions, shall follow the interpretation of the Standing Committee. However, judgments previously rendered shall not be affected.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress shall consult its Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region before giving an interpretation of this Law.

Article 144 The power of amendment of this Law shall be vested in the National People's Congress.

The power to propose bills for amendments to this Law shall be vested in the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council and the Macao Special Administrative Region. Amendment bills from the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be submitted to the National People's Congress by the delegation of the Region to the National People's Congress after obtaining the consent of two-thirds of the deputies of the Region to the National People's Congress, two-thirds of all the members of the Legislative Council of the Region, and the Chief Executive of the Region.

Before a bill for amendment to this Law is put on the agenda of the National People's Congress, the Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall study it and submit its views.

No amendment to this Law shall contravene the established basic policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Macao.

Chapter IX

Supplementary Provisions

Article 145 Upon the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the laws previously in force in Macao shall be adopted as laws of the Region except for those which the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress declares to be in contravention of this Law. If any laws are later discovered to be in contravention of this Law, they shall be amended or cease to have force in accordance with the procedure as prescribed by this Law.

Documents, certificates, contracts, and rights and obligations valid under the laws previously in force in Macao shall continue to be valid and be recognized and protected by the Macao Special Administrative Region, provided that they do not contravene this Law.

Contracts signed by the previous Macao government whose term of validity extends beyond 19 December 1999 shall continue to be valid except those which the Chinese delegate to the Sino-Portuguese Joint Liaison Group or Chinese delegate to the Sino-Portuguese Land Group has publicly declared to contravene this Law or to be inconsistent with the stipulations contained in the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration on transitional arrangements.

Annex I

Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region

1. The Chief Executive shall be elected by a broadly representative Election Committee in accordance with this Law and appointed by the Central People's Government.

2. The Election Committee shall be composed of 300 members from the following sectors:

Industrial, commercial and financial sectors

100

The professions (including education and the media) 80

Labour, social services, religious and other sectors

80

Representatives of members of the Legislative Council, representatives of members of municipal organizations, Macao deputies to the National People's Congress, and representatives of Macao members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference

40

The term of office of the Election Committee shall be five years.

3. The delimitation of the various sectors, the organizations in each sector eligible to return Election Committee members and the number of such members returned by each of these organizations shall be prescribed by an electoral law enacted by the Macao Special Administrative Region in accordance with the principles of democracy and openness.

Corporate bodies in various sectors shall, on their own, elect members to the Election Committee, in accordance with the number of seats allocated and the election method as prescribed by the electoral law.

Members of the Election Committee shall vote in their individual capacities.

4. Candidates for the office of Chief Executive may be nominated jointly by not less than 50 members of the Election Committee. Each member may nominate only one candidate.

5. The Election Committee shall, on the basis of the list of nominees, elect the Chief Executive designate by secret ballot on a one-person-one-vote basis. The specific election method shall be prescribed by the electoral law.

6. The first Chief Executive shall be selected in accordance with the "Decision of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and the First Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region."

7. If there is a need to amend the method for selecting the Chief Executives for the terms subsequent to the year 2009, such amendments must be made with the endorsement of a two-thirds majority of all the members of the Legislative Council and the consent of the Chief Executive, and they shall be reported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for approval.

Annex II

Method for the Formation Of the Legislative Council Of the Macao Special Administrative Region

1. The first Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be formed in accordance with the "Decision of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and the First Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region."

The Legislative Council in the second shall be composed of 27 members, including

Members directly returned

10

Members indirectly returned

10

Appointed members

7

The Legislative Council in the third term and in the subsequent terms shall be composed of 29 members, including

Members directly returned

12

Members indirectly returned

10

Appointed members

7

2. Specific methods for electing members of the Legislative Council shall be stipulated in the electoral law proposed by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and approved by the Legislative Council.

3. If there is a need to amend the method for forming the Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region after 2009, such amendments must be made with the endorsement of a two-thirds majority of all the members of the Council and the consent of the Chief Executive, and they shall be reported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for the record.

Annex III

National Laws to Be Applied in the Macao Special Administrative Region

The following national laws shall be applied locally with effect from 20 December 1999 by way of promulgation or legislation by the Macao Special Administrative Region:

1. Resolution on the Capital, Calendar, National Anthem and National Flag of the People's Republic of China

2. Resolution on the National Day of the People's Republic of China

3. Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea

4. Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China

5. Regulations of the People's Republic of China Concerning Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities

6. Regulations of the People's Republic of China Concerning Consular Privileges and Immunities

7. National Flag Law of the People's Republic of China

8. National Emblem Law of the People's Republic of China

Decision of the National People's Congress on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and the First Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Draft)

1. The first Government and the first Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be formed in accordance with the principle of state sovereignty and smooth transition.

2. Within the year 1998, the National People's Congress shall establish a Preparatory Committee for the Macao Special Administrative Region, which shall be responsible for preparing the establishment of the Region and shall prescribe the specific method for forming the first Government and the first Legislative Council in accordance with this Decision. The Preparatory Committee shall be composed of mainland members and of Macao members who shall constitute not less than 50 percent of its membership. Its chairman and members shall be appointed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

3. The Preparatory Committee for the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be responsible for preparing the establishment of the Selection Committee for the First Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (the "Selection Committee").

The Selection Committee shall be composed entirely of permanent residents of Macao and must be broadly representative. It shall include Macao deputies to the National People's Congress, representatives of Macao members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, persons with practical experience who have served in Macao's executive, legislative and advisory organs prior to the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, and persons representative of various strata and sectors of society.

The Selection Committee shall be composed of 200 members in the following proportions:

Industrial, commercial and financial sectors

60

The professions (including education and media)

50

Labour, social services, religious and other sectors

50

Former political figures, Macao deputies to the National People's Congress, and representatives of Macao members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference

s40

4. The Selection Committee shall recommend the candidate for the first Chief Executive through local consultations or through nomination and election after consultations, and report the recommended candidate to the Central People's Government for appointment. The term of office of the first Chief Executive shall be the same as the regular term.

5. The Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be responsible for preparing the formation of the first Government of the Region in accordance with this Law.

6. The first Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall be composed of 23 members, with eight members returned directly, eight members returned indirectly and seven members appointed by the Chief Executive. If the composition of the last Macao Legislative Council before the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region is in conformity with the relevant provisions of this Decision and the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region, those directly returned members who uphold the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and pledge allegiance to the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and who meet the requirements set forth in the Basic Law of the Region may, upon confirmation by the Preparatory Committee, become members of the first Legislative Council of the Region. If there are vacancies, the Preparatory Committee shall be responsible for filling them.

The term of office of members of the first Legislative Council shall expire on 15 October, 2001.

Proposal by the Drafting Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region on the Establishment of the Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region Under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

1. Name: The Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

2. Affiliation: To be a working committee under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

3. Function: To study questions arising from the implementation of Articles 17, 18, 143 and 144 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region and submit its views thereon to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

4. Composition: Ten members, five from the mainland and five from Macao, including persons from the legal profession, appointed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for a term of office of five years. Macao members shall be Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of the Macao Special Administrative Region with no right of abode in any foreign country and shall be nominated jointly by the Chief Executive, President of the Legislative Council and President of the Court of Final Appeal of the Region for appoitnment by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

(Beijing Review No. 30 July 29, 1991)