On September 24, 2024, the 68th session of the “Shandong University Law High-End Forum” was held at Huagang Garden on the Qingdao campus of Shandong University. Professor Fang Quan, Dean of the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), was invited to deliver an academic report titled "The Modernization of Macau Criminal Law in the National Rule of Law Process." The lecture was chaired by Professor Zhou Changjun, Dean of the Shandong University Law School at Weihai (hereinafter referred to as SDU Law School at Weihai), with Professor Zhou Xiaotian from the Shandong University Law School serving as the discussant. Program Director Mou Xiaobo from the Faculty of Law at MUST, along with over a hundred teachers and students from the Shandong University Law School attended the lecture.
Professor Fang Quan began her discussion by addressing the social development situation in Macau on the occasion of its 25th anniversary of return. She emphasized the importance of integrating the modernization of Macau's criminal law into the national rule of law process, particularly under the "One Country, Two Systems, Three Jurisdictions" framework, alongside the proposal and advancement of the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area" construction plan. She then outlined the evolution of Macau's criminal law through four distinct stages, each shaped by different historical and political contexts since modern times. Professor Fang detailed the transformation of Macau's criminal law from the application of existing laws to the enactment of new legislation. Following this, she examined the pluralistic legislative model of Macau's criminal law and identified four challenges in advancing its modernization. Additionally, she addressed two myths of legislators regarding the "retention of existing laws" and legislative thinking. Based on her analysis, she proposed that "One Country, Two Systems" should be viewed as the most fundamental local resource for the rule of law, enabling Macau's criminal law to fulfill dual roles in both politics and the legal framework.
Dean Fang Quan presented an academic report
During the discussion session, Professor Zhou Xiaotian from the Shandong University Law School shared insights drawn from his personal experience. In the Q&A segment, Professor Fang Quan patiently addressed questions posed by both the moderator and the students. Finally, Professor Zhou Changjun, the Dean of the Shandong University Law School, summarized the lecture's content and provided a highly positive evaluation of the report.
The Venue of the Lecture
