Hengqin

A strange telegram comes from Peking. It says that at some date prior to the 11th inst., a Chinese squadron attacked the Portuguese gun-boats lying off Hengchin Island, and inflicted a loss of over 10 killed and wounded. The Governor of Macao at once despatched reinforcements which bombarded the island and caused many casualties.

Source: wiktionary

When classes start in September, the University of Macau’s new campus — still under construction on about a square kilometer, or roughly 250 acres, on Hengqin Island in southern Guangdong Province — will be “handed over” to Macau governance in accordance with a 2009 bill by the National People’s Congress in Beijing.

Source: wiktionary

China’s expanding high-speed train network and projects such as a 38 billion yuan bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai on the mainland are reducing travelling times to Macau. The development of neighbouring Hengqin island - which is also part of mainland China - is also likely to boost visitors to Macau.

Source: wiktionary

In several documents of the 19th Century and first half of the 20th Century these two islands appear as part of the colony of Macau, but it is true that they never held strategic or economic interest for the Portuguese – which is understandable: while the island now known as Hengqin occupies a total land area of 106.46 square kilometres, only 28 are good for development.

Source: wiktionary