12-3 incident
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The 12-3 incident ( zh, c=一二·三事件; pt, Motim 1-2-3) refers to political demonstrations and rioting against Portuguese rule in
Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
that occurred on 3 December 1966. The incident, inspired by the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
in the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, occurred in direct response to a violent police crackdown by the Portuguese colonial authorities against local Chinese protestors demonstrating against corruption and colonialism in Macau. The incident is known as "12-3", in reference to the date of the riots.''Macau History and Society'', Zhidong Hao,
Hong Kong University Press Hong Kong University Press is the university press of the University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine ...
, 2011.
page 215
/ref> Pressured by business leaders in Macau and the mainland Chinese government, the colonial government agreed to meet the demands of the protestors and apologized for the police crackdown. Portuguese sovereignty over Macau became severely diminished after the incident, leading to ''de facto'' Chinese suzerainty over the territory 33 years prior to the eventual official transfer of sovereignty.


Origins

The Portuguese occupation of Macau is broadly divided into three different political periods.Cardinal 2009, p. 225 The first, being the establishment of the first Portuguese settlement in Macau from 1557 until 1849.Halis, Denis de Castro (2015). "'Post-Colonial' Legal Interpretation in Macau, China: Between European and Chinese Influences". In ''East Asia's Renewed Respect for the Rule of Law in the 21st Century''. Leiden: Brill Nijhoff. . pp. 70–71 During this period the settlement administrators only had jurisdiction over the Portuguese community. The second period, known as the ''colonial period'', scholars generally place from 1849 to 1974. It was in this period the Portuguese colonial administration began to take an active role in the lives of both the Portuguese and ethnic Chinese communities in Macau.Hao 2011, p. 40 On 26 March 1887, the
Lisbon Protocol The Lisbon Protocol to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was a document signed by representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan that recognized the four states as successors of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and all ...
was signed, in which China recognized the "perpetual occupation and government of Macau" by Portugal who in turn, agreed never to surrender Macau to a third party without the consent of the Chinese government. Mayers, William Frederick (1902).
Treaties Between the Empire of China and Foreign Powers
' (4th ed.). Shanghai: North-China Herald. pp. 156–157.
This was reaffirmed in the
Treaty of Peking The Convention of Peking or First Convention of Peking is an agreement comprising three distinct treaties concluded between the Qing dynasty of China and Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire in 1860. In China, they are regarded as amon ...
on 1 December 1887. Throughout the colonial administration of Macau, development of Portuguese Macau stagnated due to a complex colonial bureaucracy and corruption. Racial segregation and division also existed throughout society. Within the governance of Macau, almost all government officers and civil service positions were held by local Portuguese residents. In September 1945,
Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China () is the first-ranked executive department of the State Council of the Chinese government, responsible for the foreign relations of the People's Republic of China. It is led ...
, expressed to the Portuguese government a desire to transfer Macau back to Chinese control. However, due to the
Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...
, discussions related between the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
and the Portuguese were postponed indefinitely. In 1949, with the founding of the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
a large number of refugees and Kuomintang supporters fled
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
to Portuguese Macau. Before the 12-3 incident, the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
and the
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
parties both maintained a presence in Macau. With the founding of the People's Republic, the colonial Portuguese government opened unofficial relations with the People's Republic of China in contrast to the Republic of China due to its direct proximity of Macau with a land border. Following the founding of the PRC, the influence of the communists grew substantially in Macau especially among business leaders throughout the region, while it decreased with the nationalists.


The incident

Schools and education in Macau were divided on racial lines, with the Portuguese and Macanese sending their children to fully subsidized private schools while the Chinese population had to send their children to either Catholic or Communist schools.Chan, Monica Kiteng. “Memory Plaza: Encounter and Missed Encounter.” Portuguese Literary and Cultural Studies 17/18 (2010): 233–41. The segregation of education in Macau was an area of great contention for the local populations. In 1966, residents of
Taipa Island Taipa ( zh, t=氹仔, ; pt, Taipa, ) was a former island in Macau, presently united with the island of Coloane by reclaimed land known as Cotai. Administratively, the boundaries of the traditional civil parish Freguesia de Nossa Senhora do Ca ...
, sponsored by the Chinese communists, tried to obtain permission to build a private school.''Hong Kong's Watershed: The 1967 Riots''
Gary Ka-wai Cheung, Hong Kong University Press, 2009, page 16
Despite being granted a plot of land by the Portuguese authorities, Portuguese officials delayed the processing of the building permits, as they had not received any bribes from the residents of Taipa Island. In spite of receiving no building permits from the local administration, local residents began construction of the private school. On 15 November 1966, Urban Services Officers on Taipa blocked further construction of the school, leading to a confrontation between Chinese protestors and Macau Police. The police, including plain-clothes officers, injured over 40 people, of whom 14 were later detained. In response, a group of around 60 Chinese students and workers demonstrated outside the Governor's Palace in support of the residents of Taipa Island. The demonstrators shouted revolutionary slogans and read aloud from Mao Zedong's ''
Little Red Book ''Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung'' () is a book of statements from speeches and writings by Mao Zedong (formerly romanized as Mao Tse-tung), the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, published from 1964 to about 1976 and widel ...
''.''Twentieth Century Colonialism and China: Localities, the Everyday, and the World''
Bryna Goodman, David Goodman Routledge, 2012, pages 217–218
On 3 December 1966, demonstrators began to riot and denounced Portuguese authorities for "fascist atrocities".It Is My Opinion
Irene Corbally Kuhn, ''
Reading Eagle The ''Reading Eagle'' is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania. A family-owned newspaper until the spring of 2019, its reported circulation is 37,000 (daily) and 50,000 (Sundays). It serves the Reading and Berks County region of Pe ...
'', 19 January 1967
Protestors, instigated by local communists and pro-Beijing business owners, ransacked Portuguese institutions throughout Macau such as the Macau City Hall and Public Notary's Office. Violence was also directed towards local Chinese businesses and organizations loyal to the Republic of China government now located in Taipei. Unlike in neighboring Hong Kong – which faced similar leftist riots – the business community largely did not back the colonial government. In Mainland China, specifically in
Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
,
Red Guards Red Guards () were a mass student-led paramilitary social movement mobilized and guided by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 through 1967, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted.Teiwes According to a Red Guard lead ...
, inspired by the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
and angered by the violence towards Chinese in Macau, began to protest in large numbers at the mainland China–Macau border. On 3 December, the colonial government ordered the rioters and demonstrators to be arrested, leading to even more mass discontent and popular support for opposition to the Portuguese administration. In response, demonstrators toppled the statue of Colonel Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita at
Largo do Senado The Senado Square, or Senate Square (; pt, Largo do Senado), is a paved town square in Sé, Macau, China, and part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site. It is an elongated triangular shaped square and connects Largo do ...
, the city center, and also tore off the right arm of a statue of
Jorge Álvares Jorge Álvares (died 8 July 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is credited as the first European to have reached China by sea during the Age of Discovery. His starting of settlements on an island in what is now Hong Kong is still considered a sign ...
located on the former outer harbor ferry port. At the
Leal Senado The Leal Senado Building (Portuguese for ''Loyal Senate'') was the seat of Portuguese Macau's government (Legislative Assembly of Macau and Municipal Council of Macau). It is located at one end of the Senado Square in São Lourenço, Macau, ...
or city hall, portraits of former governors were torn off the walls, and books and city records were tossed into the street and set on fire. Consequently,
martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...
was declared, authorizing a Portuguese military garrison and police to crack down on the protests. Eight protestors were killed by police in the subsequent clashes, while 212 people were injured in total. Police also arrested 62 people in connection to the protests.


Resolution

Ho_Yin,_Beijing's_"unofficial_representative"_in_Macau_with_Mao_Zedong_in_1956..html" ;"title="Mao_Zedong.html" ;"title="Ho Yin, Beijing's "unofficial representative" in Macau with Mao Zedong">Ho Yin, Beijing's "unofficial representative" in Macau with Mao Zedong in 1956.">Mao_Zedong.html" ;"title="Ho Yin, Beijing's "unofficial representative" in Macau with Mao Zedong">Ho Yin, Beijing's "unofficial representative" in Macau with Mao Zedong in 1956. In response to the crackdown, the Portuguese government immediately implemented a news blockade, Portuguese-language newspapers and magazines were banned, and newspapers in Portugal and overseas provinces were ordered to censor reports about the incident. In response to the incident, the Chinese government deployed the People's Liberation Army to the Chinese-Portuguese Macau border to prevent
Red Guards Red Guards () were a mass student-led paramilitary social movement mobilized and guided by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 through 1967, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted.Teiwes According to a Red Guard lead ...
from invading Macau.Fernandes, Moisés Silva. “Macau in Chinese Foreign Policy during the Cultural Revolution, 1966–1968.” Portuguese Literary and Cultural Studies 17/18 (2010): 209–24. Four Chinese warships also entered the waters of Macau in response to the crackdown. The security ring set around Macau by the Chinese would be involved in multiple casualty-causing conflicts with
Red Guards Red Guards () were a mass student-led paramilitary social movement mobilized and guided by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 through 1967, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted.Teiwes According to a Red Guard lead ...
attempting to invade Macau by both land and by sea. The pro-Beijing community in Macau adopted a "Three No's" approach as a means to continue their struggle with the Government — no taxes, no service, no selling to the Portuguese. Representing Chinese Macau was the pro-Beijing Committee of Thirteen, chaired by Leong Pui, the leader of the pro-Beijing Macau General Association of Labour. Negotiations to resolve and prevent further escalation between the People's Republic of China, Committee of Thirteen, and the Portuguese government took place in
Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
. The chief negotiator for the Chinese was
Ho Yin Ho Yin (; 1 December 1908 – 6 December 1983) was a businessman, politician and senior leader of the Chinese community in Macau. Biography Ho Yin was born in Panyu, in the Pearl River Delta region, north of Macau on 1 December 1908, when ...
, whose involvement and commitment to resolve the crisis caused by the riot was crucial because at that time he was the only one who could contact directly both the Portuguese administration and Chinese officials in
Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
and Beijing, as he was the representative of Macau in the Legislative Council.Macao Is A Relic Of Bygone Era Of European Gunboat Diplomacy
David J Paine, Associated Press, '' Daily News'', 14 May 1971, page 17
The Portuguese, due to increasing pressures from both Beijing and Lisbon, agreed to sign agreements with the Committee of Thirteen and the Guangdong Government Foreign Affairs Bureau, along with an official statement of apology, and accepted responsibility for the events on 3 December 1966. On 29 January 1967, the Portuguese
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, José Manuel de Sousa e Faro Nobre de Carvalho, with the endorsement of Portuguese Prime Minister Salazar, signed a statement of apology at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, under a portrait of
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
, with Ho, as the Chamber's President, presiding.''Naked Tropics: Essays on Empire and Other Rogues''
Kenneth Maxwell, Psychology Press, 2003, page 279
Alongside the apology, the Portuguese agreed to reinforce the role of the Macau Chinese business elite in running the governmental affairs of Macau, promised to never use force against the Chinese community of Macau, and agreed to pay reparations to the Chinese community in Macau to the sum of 2 million
Macanese pataca The Macanese pataca or Macau pataca (; pt, pataca de Macau; sign: $; abbreviation: P; ISO code: MOP) is the currency of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It is subdivided into 100 ''avos'' (; ''sin'' ...
as compensation for the eight dead and 212 injured. In contrast, the agreement signed with the Guangdong government was more favorable to the Portuguese; per the agreement, the Chinese government would take back all refugees who arrived in Macau from 30 January 1967 on wards, a promise China would keep until 1978. This marked the beginning of equal treatment and recognition of Chinese identity in Macau and the beginning of ''de facto'' Chinese control of the territory with Chinese Communist
Ho Yin Ho Yin (; 1 December 1908 – 6 December 1983) was a businessman, politician and senior leader of the Chinese community in Macau. Biography Ho Yin was born in Panyu, in the Pearl River Delta region, north of Macau on 1 December 1908, when ...
becoming the ''de facto'' governor of Macau. ''Portugal, China and the Macau Negotiations, 1986–1999''
Carmen Amado Mendes, Hong Kong University Press, 2013, page 34
The Portuguese
Foreign Minister A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
, Alberto Franco Nogueira, described Portugal's role in Macau after 1967 as "a caretaker of a condominium under foreign supervision". Chinese media described the political situation of Macau as a "half liberated zone". Shortly after the agreements were signed, Chinese military forces around Macau were withdrawn and the Red Guard threat had subsided.


Aftermath

With the Portuguese now only nominally in control of Macau, political power would increasingly rest with the pro-Beijing trade unions and business leaders.''Far Eastern Economic Review''
1974, page 439
The official Portuguese and Chinese positions about the political status of Macau did not differ, as both now described the region as a Chinese territory under Portuguese administration and not a colony or overseas territory.陳堅銘. "國共在澳門的競逐── 以 二‧ 三事件1966–67) 為中心." "The Competition of the Kuomintang and Communist Party of China in Macau-Focusing on the 12-3 Incident (1966–67)" 臺灣國際研究季刊 11, no. 4 (2015): 153–177. As a consequence of Beijing's increasing influence, pro-
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
activities in Macau were banned, and the
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
's diplomatic mission was closed. The flying of the
flag of the Republic of China A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employ ...
was banned, and Kuomintang-run schools were also closed. In addition, refugees from mainland China were either barred from entering or returned to China. Emboldened by their success against the Portuguese, the Committee of Thirteen encouraged demonstrations against other institutions in Macau that were perceived to be antagonistic towards the People's Republic. Specifically, the British Consulate and the Macau Branch of the Hong Kong Immigration department were once again targeted by protestors. British consular staff in Macau were under constant threat and harassment by Red Guards, leading to the closure of the British consulate in 1967.Davies, Hugh. "An Undiplomatic Foray: A 1967 Escapade in Macau."
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society The ''Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society'' is an academic journal which publishes articles on the history, archaeology, literature, language, religion and art of South Asia, the Middle East (together with North Africa and Ethiopia), Central Asia ...
Hong Kong Branch 47 (2007): 115–26. Accessed 9 January 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23889787.
On 25 April 1974, a group of left-wing Portuguese officers organized a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
in Portugal, overthrowing the right-wing ruling government that had been in power for 48 years. The new government began to transition Portugal to a democratic system and was committed to decolonization. The new Portuguese government carried out de-colonization policies and proposed Macau's handover to China to occur in 1978. The Chinese government rejected this proposal, believing that an early transfer of Macau would impact relations with
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. On 31 December 1975, the Portuguese government withdrew its remaining troops from Macau. On 8 February 1979, the Portuguese government decided to break off diplomatic relations with the
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
, and established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China the next day. Both Portugal and the People's Republic of China recognized Macau as Chinese territory. The colony remained under Portuguese rule until 20 December 1999, when it was transferred to China. Ho Yin's son, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, would become the first
Chief Executive A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the
Macau Special Administrative Region Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a popu ...
following the transfer of sovereignty in 1999. Who's Who in China's Leadership – Edmund Ho Hau Wah 何厚铧
China.org.cn China Internet Information Center (; or 中国网/网上中国) is a state-run web portal of the People's Republic of China and published under the auspices of the State Council Information Office and the China International Publishing Group. I ...
, 28 October 2013


See also

*
1967 Hong Kong riots The 1967 Hong Kong riots were large-scale anti-government riots that occurred in Hong Kong during British colonial rule. Beginning as a minor labour dispute, the demonstrations eventually escalated into protests against the British colonial go ...
*
Mongolian Revolution of 1911 The Mongolian Revolution of 1911 (Mongol: Үндэсний эрх чөлөөний хувьсгал, , ''Ündèsnij èrx čölöönij xuv’sgal'') occurred when the region of Outer Mongolia declared its independence from the Manchu-led Qing Chi ...
*
Sette Giugno Sette Giugno (from Italian for "Seventh of June") is a Maltese national holiday celebrated annually on 7 June. It commemorates events which occurred on that day in 1919 when, following a series of riots by the Maltese population, British troops ...
,
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
*
Polish 1970 protests The 1970 Polish protests ( pl, Grudzień 1970, lit=December 1970) occurred in northern Poland during 14–19 December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase in the prices of food and other everyday items. Strikes were put down by t ...
*
Transfer of sovereignty over Macau The transfer of sovereignty of Macau (; pt, Transferência da soberania de Macau) from Portugal to the People's Republic of China (PRC) occurred on 20 December 1999. Macau was settled by Portuguese merchants in 1557, during the Ming dynasty ...
*
Annexation of Goa The Annexation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India annexed ', the then Portuguese Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, starting with the armed action carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in December 1961. In Indi ...


Notes


References


External links


The 12-3 Incident entry in Macau Encyclopedia
(translated from Chinese) * {{DEFAULTSORT:12-3 Incident 1966 in Macau 1966 riots Cultural Revolution History of Macau Riots and civil disorder in Macau China–Portugal relations Macau–Taiwan relations Anti-Portuguese sentiment