"I still remember I was with the prime minister of Portugal in the long meeting, two hours, with Mr. Deng Xiaoping," Portugal's former minister of foreign affairs said.

Antonio Martins da Cruz, Portugal's former foreign minister, was foreign adviser to the Portuguese prime minister when China and Portugal were in intense negotiations over Macao's return to China. He experienced this historical moment first hand.

Martins da Cruz said that he had followed China-Portugal relations very closely for the last 35 years. "I was very much involved in the negotiations of the future of Macao when China and Portugal negotiated in 1986, the joint declaration, and I was here in Beijing for the ceremony of the signature in April 1987," he said.

The former Minister recalled the moment with Deng: "Mr. Deng was telling us the opening of China at that time to the foreign markets, in the financial aspects, in the trade, the expected development of China.

"I believe that your development is even bigger of the vision of Mr. Deng Xiaoping 35 years ago," he added.

According to him, the most difficult part of the negotiations between China and Portugal was the timing. "We had only a few months to negotiate," he said, adding that thankfully "it was a very successful negotiation."

Working as a young consultant for the Prime Minister and the Portuguese government at that time, he had insightful stories to share.

"Several members of the Chinese government visited Lisbon at that time, and the Portuguese came to Beijing. We manage to, in parallel, negotiate several things. For instance, the transitional period of ten years, the land system, the financial system which banks from Portugal and from China could add the power to print money for Macao."

Then, they split in several points the negotiations and dealt it in parallel system. "It was as far as I was told by my Chinese friends, was easier for the Chinese part to negotiate with Portugal than to negotiate with United Kingdom," Martins da Cruz said.

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