Oldal 2 [2]
- page two ¬
In the opinion of the ? rtuguese authorities, the rea¬
sor. of the recent incidents is obfious ? the Chinese are very
much perturbed by the blockade imposed by the P. rtuguese
authorities on the furnishing of strategic materials to China.
Before the embargo was declared, the Colony had a flourishing
transit bussiness of rubverg, steel, petrol, high osteno gaso¬
line and chemical products. This was stopped by the P rtu¬
guese authorities in a much more efficient manner thah it was
done by the Hong-Kong authorities. The border incident, hence,
was in the opinion of the P rtuguese, a visible sign of the dis¬
content of the Chinese.
The transit bussiness being now greatly reduced ¬
ít can not be entirely abolished - the colony nevertheless is
still thriving. It has few industries, except those connected
with the prosperous fishing and with the production of per¬
fumes and fireworks and creckers for Chinese celebrations.
Gambling and Prostitution, as weil as Opium smoking, is certain¬
ly the means of livelyhood of a certain number of highly Sea
perous Chinese, who bring in some part of the ineomes of the
colony. But the whole matter has been greatly overestimated.
The Red Ideht district is certainly a sight for tourists and
an inspiration for fiction writers, put it is certainly not
the basis of livelyhood. The real foundation of the Colony's
pee is the fact, that there is practically absolute
tnaneial freedom - including almost absolute freedom of taxa¬
tion - whieh attracts large capitals, who take refuge from
China end use Macao as a basis for operations. Furthermore Macao
is an impo tant center of the international gold trade. This
4s illegal, but is carried out. In general principles, Macao
permits the import of gold, and bans its export. In fact never¬
theless both are absolutely free. Much gold is now imported
4nto the Colony in bars, and exported in coins, fabricated
in the colony. This permits great gains, especially since the
distribution extends all the way to Hong-Kong, the Philippines,
Siam, Vietnam, China, Indonesia etc. The result of these possi
bilities is, that now vast firtunes have been puilt in the co¬
lonye Probably one of the most spectacular rises in the field
4g the one of Pedro J. Lobo. The son of a Chinese from Timor
and of a Timorese mother, Lobo is today the Economic Director
of the Governement of Macao. From a poor start he has amassed
a fortune estimated at well over 100 Million Hongkong Dollars.
He is today the most influential man in the colony. But every¬
body admits that while he certainly promoted his own fortunes,
he has also served the community very well. Lobo, a great
musician and philanthropist, is a rather simple and amiable
person. But he runs the town. And he is the master of the golé