Minisheet made in North Korea, 1999, about the Return of Macau to China. The transfer of sovereignty of Macau Portuguese: Transferência da soberania de Macau) from Portugal to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) occurred on 20 December 1999. Macau was settled by Portuguese merchants in 1557, during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE) and was subsequently under various degrees of Portuguese rule until 1999.