An independent media outlet in Macau has taken down a report about various facilities being shut down before Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to the territory to mark the 25th anniversary of its handover to Beijing.
Online news outlet All About Macau on Tuesday evening issued an apology for taking down the report, just a day before Xi arrived in the territory. Xi will attend the inauguration of Macau’s sixth government on Friday, and swear in former top judge Sam Hou-fai as its leader.
The report was titled “Macau on alert as Xi Jinping visits tomorrow, vending machines and motorcycle parking spaces closed off, netizens laugh: ‘Every tree a soldier’.”
The comment refers to a Chinese idiom literally meaning mistaking trees and grass for enemy soldiers – referring to a state of panic and hypervigilance.
A Thursday morning check showed the link to the report displaying a “page not found” error.
‘Unavoidable’
The report was taken down “due to ‘unavoidable’ reasons,” according to All About Macau’s statement. “We apologise to our readers for [removing the report]. We will continue to follow up on the 25th anniversary of the handover and President Xi Jinping’s visit to Macau,” the statement read.
The paper declined to comment when approached by HKFP to clarify what was meant by “unavoidable” reasons, and whether the deletion was ordered by Macau authorities.
Following the statement, All About Macau continued to publish reports about Xi’s address as well as traffic jams in the city in the hours leading up to his arrival.
Several roads were closed on Wednesday, while the Light Rapid Transit operator halted services for a section of its lines. Several flights were rescheduled or cancelled.
The road closures and traffic arrangements will remain in force until Friday, according to Macau’s Transport Bureau.
Xi on Wednesday hailed the former Portuguese colony’s economic success under the One Country, Two Systems political framework – the same principle that governs relations between Hong Kong and mainland China.
“Over the past 25 years, the One Country, Two Systems principle with Macau characteristics has achieved world-renowned success, and has demonstrated great vitality and a unique appeal,” Xi said at the airport shortly after touching down.
Separately, consular services in Macau were postponed on Wednesday after Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to issue visas for Hong Kong-based diplomats to go to Macau.
“We regret the inconvenience that cancellations cause and appreciate your patience,” the US Consulate in Hong Kong and Macau said in a statement.
