evidence: Macau Special Administrative Region of People’s Republic of China Jurisdiction [...] The Portuguese arrived in Macau in the year 1557 and settled in the territory for nearly 500 years. After an initial period of mixed Chinese-Portuguese jurisdiction from 1557 to 1849, there was a colonial period between 1849 and 1974. A post-colonial period followed, in which Macau was under Portuguese administration until the end of 1999, the year of its transfer of sovereignty to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Since December 20, 1999, Macau is a Special Administrative Region (MSAR) of the PRC. According to Article 31 of the PRC Constitution, "The State may establish special administrative regions when necessary. The systems to be instituted in special administrative regions shall be prescribed by law enacted by the National People’s Congress in the light of specific conditions." Similar to Hong Kong, Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy from mainland China under the so-called principle of "one country, two systems."