Balancing Central Authority and Local Interests: Insights from Macau's Gambling Law Amendment

The balance between central authority and local interests has become a critical issue in recent studies of Chinese politics. This paper examines how local governments respond to conflict of interest with the central government, using Macau’s gambling law amendment as a case study. The findings suggest that under the “One Country, Two Systems” (OCTS) framework, the relationship between central and local authorities has been significantly redefined in recent years. Central directives now exert unprecedented influence over the governance of Hong Kong and Macau. At the same time, local interests persist but are increasingly confined to areas that do not directly challenge central policies.