Macao’s return to China has added new vigor to Sino-Portuguese relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing on Thursday on the eve of 20th anniversary of signing of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.

The governments of China and Portugal officially signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Macao in Beijing on April 13, 1987, which explicitly stipulates that the Chinese government will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao as of December 20, 1999.

Since Macao’s return in 1999, the Basic Law of Macao Special Administrative Region has been enforced and the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Macao people governing Macao” and “a high degree of autonomy” have been carried out, Qin said.

Macao’s economy is developing and progress has been achieved in Macao’s cultural and social development, which we are glad to see, he said.

“Macao’s return is a successful model of cooperation between governments of China and Portugal,” Qin added.

On bilateral relations, Qin said the Sino-Portuguese relations have developed continuously in recent years with leaders of the two countries keeping close contact and bilateral cooperation and exchanges in various fields expanding.

China is willing to work jointly with Portugal in pushing forward bilateral ties, the spokesman said.