The overwhelming majority of international conventions now applicable to Macao will still apply after China resumes the exercise of sovereignty there on December 20, said foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue in Beijing Tuesday.

Answering a journalist's question at the regular press conference, Zhang said the Chinese government has recently addressed itself to the depositories of these international conventions concerning their application in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) after its establishment on December 20.

The Chinese government will also soon make comprehensive deliberations on the principles and practices concerning the international conventions' application to Macao through the UN secretary-general, and make them available to the international community, Zhang said.

Through these actions, the overwhelming majority of international conventions now applicable to Macao will still apply to the Macao SAR, which will be established upon Macao's handover.

These conventions, approximately 120 in all, according to Zhang, cover a wide range of areas including civil aviation, customs, economy and finance, education, science and technology, culture, environmental protection, hygiene, intellectual property rights, human rights, labor, international crimes, maritime affairs, international private law, roads and communications, post services and telecommunications, and establishing international organizations.

China has not been a party to 57 of them, she added.

The above-mentioned actions, taken for the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle and relevant provisions in the Macao SAR Basic Law, are of enormous significance to the smooth handover of Macao and its long-term stability and development, the spokeswoman said. (Xinhua)