Book excerpt: The book analyzes various aspects of the process of Macau's transition from a Portuguese autonomous territory to a Chinese special administrative region. It analyzes the role of those involved in the process building Beijing, Lisbon, the local Portuguese Macau administration, the Macau branch of the New China News Agency, the Luso-Chinese Joint Liaison Group and the local political and social groups. It stresses the dynamics of interactions between actors as well as the political, economic and social changes in the enclave that have direct or indirect impact on the transition.