Declarations
Notifications
Articles: 15
This Convention applies to the Special Administrative Region of Macao only, as a result of an extension made by Portugal. When Macao was restored to the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999, China declared that the Convention will continue to apply for Macao.
Date of entry into force of the Convention for Macao: 24 February 1974.
Declarations / notifications:
The depositary received a Note dated 16 December 1999 from the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, which read as follows:
(Translation )
"Your Excellency,
In accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on the Question of Macao (hereinafter referrred to as the Joint Declaration), signed on 13 April 1987, the Government of the People's Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao with effect from 20 December 1999. Macao will from that date, become a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
It is provided both in Section VIII of Elaboration by the Government of the People's Republic of China of its Basic Policies Regarding Macao, which is annex I to the Joint Declaration, and Article 138 of the Basic Law of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, which was adopted on 31 March 1993 by the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, that international agreements to which the Government of the People's Republic of China is not yet a party but which are implemented in Macao, may continue to be implemented in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
In accordance with the provisions mentioned above, I am instructed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, to inform Your Excellency of the following:
The Convention concerning the Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions Relating to Maintenance Obligations Towards Children, concluded at The Hague on 15 April 1958 (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention"), which applies to Macao at present, will continue to apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999. The Government of the People's Republic of China also wishes to make the following declaration:
In accordance with Article 15 of the Convention, it designates the Primary Courts, Intermediate Courts and the Court of Final Appeal of the Macao Special Administrative Region as the authorities competent to render decisions relating to maintenance and to render foreign decisions enforceable in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
Within the above ambit, the Government of the People's Republic of China will assume the responsibility for the international rights and obligations that place on a party to the Convention.
It would be appreciated if the contents of this Note could be placed formally on record and brought to the attention of the other Parties to the Convention. (...)
(signed: Hua Liming, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of the Netherlands)".