AOC in China may (or may not) be simpler to attain but again underestimating it is pretty standard behaviour of investors and even experienced aviation management. They all think it can be done in a few months and in these parts "nothing happens in a few months". The article reads like they already have an AOC in China but I read it as all they have is an MOU with the airport which is far from being an approval by the authority. In other words...they have a place to pull up to a dock and that's about it. The helicopters spent 2-3 years (and $$$) getting approval to fly into SZX and they had an AOC. Will likely be easier than that now but then again maybe not.
Macau AACM is stranger than any, and with the young experience running it, they won't be convinced easily about landing on water, because they just don't have a clue. And where are they going to dock? Approval for that will add months or years. Individually and as a government department, they will not take risks on anything that might come back to bite them. Hope it all goes as they say though, so I can dust off my float rating!