Forty-three countries will be able to retain their consular representations in Macao after China resume the exercise of sovereignty over the region on December 20.

Shi Yuegen, director of the Visa Office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macao, told Xinhua today that the Foreign Ministry has already reached understanding with 43 countries on the status of their consular representations in Macao after the region returns to China on December 20.

He said that according to the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China to be established on the early morning of December 20, the countries that have consular or other official representations here but no diplomatic relations with China will, depending on specific conditions, be able to either retain the existing consular representations or change them into semiofficial institutions.

He pointed out that those regions that China has not recognized as sovereignties will only be allowed to set up non-official institutions here.

Shi made the remarks as the Visa Office concluded its work today.

Now 53 countries have sent consul generals, consuls or honorary consuls to Macao. Forty-three of them are consul generals and consuls who are stationed in Hong Kong. The other dozen are honorary consuls.

"The issues of consul representations of most of the countries in Macao have already been settled," Shi said, noting that consul representations of the remaining countries are still under discussion.

The Visa Office will be turned into the Consular Department of the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macao on December 20. It will open on December 23. Since the Visa Office was set up on December 12, 1991, it has issued travel documents to over 100,000 entries into the Chinese mainland for compatriots from Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan, overseas Chinese and foreigners in the past eight years.