In 1952, a black soldier from the Portuguese side of Macau urinated on the castle tower due to internal anxiety while standing guard. Since they were all white soldiers standing guard before, the PLA had never seen blacks, and their movements were funny, and the garrison soldiers couldn't help but laugh. The Portuguese black soldier was angry and annoyed, and picked up his gun and cursed. Seeing this, the officers and men of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) immediately became serious and confronted each other in return.
In Southeast Asia in 1952, the international situation was still complex and turbulent. At that time, Macao was an overseas colony of Portugal, and its geographical location made it particularly important in the Cold War pattern. In this small city, almost all the resources of life depend on the mainland. On a quiet morning, the actions of a black soldier inadvertently come into focus.
Upstairs in Macau, the changing of the guard of the Portuguese army had just ended, and a newly appointed black soldier felt anxious because he had been standing for a long time. Considering that the nearest bathroom had to walk some distance, he opted for a seemingly innocuous solution - urinating on the castle tower. Since the guards were usually white soldiers, his presence and movements attracted the attention of the PLA soldiers stationed there.
On the other side of the city wall, Liu Wu, a soldier of the People's Liberation Army, was talking with his companions. Suddenly, they noticed the soldier's movements, and because of the abruptness and surprise of the movements, Liu Wu couldn't help laughing, and the voice spread to the city tower with the wind.
"Look over there, who is that?" Liu Wu pointed to the soldier who was urinating.
When the soldier heard the laughter, he turned his head and saw several PLA soldiers pointing and immediately felt humiliated. He hurriedly sorted out his clothes, angrily picked up his rifle, and shouted a few threatening words in the direction of the PLA.
"Shut up, don't laugh!" he said loudly.
This sudden tension quickly heats up, and what was originally just a minor episode of events instantly turns into a prelude to a conflict. Seeing this, the PLA soldiers immediately put away their smiles and clenched their weapons seriously.
Soon, the black soldier, under the impulse of anger, made a reckless act - he pushed the rejection horse in front of him, almost crossing the border line. This action immediately sparked even greater tension. Seeing this, PLA soldier Zhao Xuedeng rushed forward and knocked the opponent to the ground with one punch, and then the situation quickly escalated.
A group of Portuguese soldiers rushed to reinforce them, and a physical altercation broke out on the border. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) quickly suppressed the opponent's resistance by numerical superiority. During the clashes, the humiliated black soldiers were so angry that they began to fire at the PLA and threw grenades.
Subsequently, the Portuguese counterattack began, and the night shelling lit up the night sky of Macau, and the sound of artillery and explosions shook the entire city. A large number of houses were destroyed and several innocent residents were injured. The PLA quickly mobilized heavy artillery and carried out a heavy bombardment of the enemy camp.
In this sudden war, there was a serious problem with the supply of materials in Macao. Prices have skyrocketed, and people's lives have been greatly affected. Among the Portuguese in Macau, panic began to spread. They are well aware that this conflict with China will not benefit them at all and begin to look for a path to peace.
After a border conflict in 1952, the situation in Macau seemed to have reached a delicate balance. Under the strategic guidance of Ye Jianying, secretary of the South China Branch, and through the careful mediation of Ma Man-kei, vice president of the Macau Chamber of Commerce, a contradiction that could turn into a large-scale war was finally effectively resolved.
It's not a simple process. As soon as the clashes subsided, the night sky of Macau was still lit up by shelling from time to time. Macao citizens spent several sleepless nights under the sound of artillery fire. The shortage of materials in the market has caused the prices of daily necessities to soar, and the lives of ordinary people have been greatly affected. In the midst of this tense situation, Ma Man-kei, vice president of the Macau Chamber of Commerce, became a messenger of peace.
Ma Man-kei knows that if the situation cannot be calmed down as soon as possible, Macao's economic and social order will face an even greater test. He held several emergency talks with officials from the Portuguese side. During the discussion, Ma Man-ki expressed the position of the PLA side, stressing that if a settlement cannot be reached, both sides will suffer greater losses.
The Portuguese side initially had reservations about reconciliation. They fear that if they make too many concessions, they will lose face internationally. However, as the situation became more tense, and the PLA showed resoluteness and strength in the conflict, the Portuguese side began to reassess the situation. Thanks to Ma Man-kei's continuous efforts and patient persuasion, the Portuguese side finally agreed to apologize to the Chinese side and compensate for the losses incurred in the conflict.
The process of apologies and reparations has not been smooth sailing. The Portuguese side has repeatedly considered the wording of its apology statement, striving to maintain the dignity of the country while acknowledging its mistakes. Eventually, a written agreement was reached in which the Portuguese side formally apologized to the Chinese side and agreed to pay compensation. The compensation is mainly used to repair infrastructure damaged in the conflict and to compensate the victims.
After the compensation was completed, the parties also held a brief reconciliation ceremony. During the ceremony, the Portuguese representatives apologized to the injured Macao residents and promised to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. This move has attracted widespread attention in Macau society and is seen as a sign that the Portuguese government is responsible for the incident.
After the reconciliation ceremony, the situation in Macau gradually returned to calm. Prices in the market began to stabilize gradually, and residents' lives gradually returned to normal. This border conflict and its resolution not only avoided a possible larger-scale war, but also demonstrated the maturity and decisiveness of the new China in handling international disputes.
In addition, the incident had a profound impact on the surrounding area. Other foreign forces in China, notably the British government in Hong Kong, began to reassess their relations with the new China. They realized that the determination and ability of this emerging nation should not be underestimated. This incident not only accelerated the process of Hong Kong and Macao's future return to China, but also enhanced China's status in the international community.
This event eventually became an important turning point in the history of Sino-Portuguese relations, marking a major victory for the foreign policy of the People's Republic of China and laying a solid foundation for future international exchanges.
Reference: Zhao Mingcheng, "Frontier Situation: A Complete Documentary of the 1952 Macao Incident".
