Nationality law of the People's Republic of China of the Ninth National People's Congress on December 29, 1998. Unlike the UK, Portugal did not have an overseas nationality, which means that residents of Macau had the same type of Portuguese nationality as those in Portugal. Unique provisions include clarification for individuals of both Chinese and Portuguese descent, who may choose either Chinese or Portuguese nationality without losing right to abode. Negotiations between China and Portugal over Macau were considerably smoother than those between the United Kingdom and China over Hong Kong, and in the former a pragmatic practical agreement was understood making double nationality possible "de facto" for
Nationality law of the People's Republic of China case, their non-Chinese nationality or citizenship is simply ignored by the Chinese authorities. Further, Hong Kong and Macau residents who acquire foreign citizenship while settled abroad, and who therefore legally lose Chinese citizenship under Article 9 are, in practice, treated as Chinese nationals unless they undertake the administrative step of notifying the change of nationality to the authorities of the respective territories. The declaration is not enforced, so such persons who return to reside in Hong Kong and Macau are treated as Chinese nationals owing to Article 3. Although it is generally difficult to have "de facto" dual nationality of