Planned by the Centre for Macau Studies (CMS) of the University of Macau (UM), ” On the Frontline of Change: An Oral History of Macau in the Pre-handover Era ” has been ranked fourth in the public library category of the 2024 annual reading report of Taiwan’s iRead eBooks. It is the only academic work and the only book from Hong Kong and Macau to make it to the top ten in reading hours. The iRead eBooks online platform has over 570,000 books, making it one of the largest Chinese reading platforms. The report analyzed the total reading time of readers from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024, which reached 25 million hours, a 74% increase compared to 2023. It also announced the book lists from public libraries, universities, and high school libraries in Taiwan, as well as the reading trends of eBooks.

” On the Frontline of Change: An Oral History of Macau in the Pre-handover Era ” is the first volume of the ” An Oral History of Macau in the Pre-handover Era ” series, a research project supported by the University of Macau Development Foundation (UMDF). It was planned by CMS and edited by Prof. Agnes, LAM Iok Fong, and published by the City University of Hong Kong Press in December 2020. Combining ” people’s history” and “event history,” it reviews key events in China–Portugal relations and the process of Macau’s return to motherland since the 1970s through first-hand materials and interviews, including China–Portugal negotiations, the drafting of the Basic Law, and the formation of the Special Administrative Region government. It summarizes the development experience of the first twenty years after Macau’s return to motherland, providing valuable references for the younger generation to understand the preparation process of Macau’s return to motherland. The book features interviews with seven individuals who experienced the return process: LEI Heong Iok, WANG Xian, LOK Wai Kin, ZHAO Guoqiang, IEONG Wan Chong, LIU Chak Wan, CHUI Sai Cheong. Their memories reflect personal experiences and changes of the times, recreating an important page in Macau’s history. The book is praised as an important reference for studying Macau’s history and modern Chinese diplomatic history, and a must-read for those concerned with Macau’s public affairs. Its successful ranking reflects readers’ high attention to Macau’s history and the process of its return to motherland.