On December 20, 1999, Adelino da Conceição de Assis, now president of the Macao China-Portugal Association for the Promotion of Economy, Trade and Culture, celebrated Macao's return to China with his Portuguese-speaking classmates. They watched the flag change at midnight, symbolizing a happy transition. The group, which included Macanese – an ethnic group that originated in Macao in the 16th century comprising mostly people with some Portuguese ancestry – and foreign students, put on Macao team jerseys, reflecting the event's impact on their lives.