Many eyes are on China's re-absorption of Europe's last Asian colony.
The contrast could not be more stark. In 1997, as Hong Kong prepared to return to the motherland, skeptics fretted that Beijing would impose its will on the British colony. Few such jitters have accompanied Macau's return to Chinese sovereignty. In fact, many of the enclave's 435,000 residents are only too happy to bid the Portuguese farewell and to welcome back the motherland. But it will need Beijing's assistance to do so.