NEUTRALITY AND COLLABORATION IN SOUTH CHINA: MACAU DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

The main focus of the article is a review of recent historical works on Macau during World War II and British consular experiences in 19th-century China. One book details Macau's unique status as a neutral Portuguese colony surrounded by Japanese-occupied Asia from 1941 to 1945, highlighting its role as a refuge for refugees and a center of espionage, with the Portuguese administration accommodating a large influx of displaced people despite severe hardships. Another work presents the diaries of Chaloner Alabaster, a young British interpreter in Hong Kong during the 1850s, illustrating the challenges faced by British consular officers in China's Treaty Ports, including harsh conditions and local unrest. Both works contribute valuable perspectives for scholars studying colonial and wartime histories in East Asia.