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The Macao Chinese Orchestra, a musical institution under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, has been invited to tour Portugal from 24th July to 2nd August. The last time this orchestra travelled to Portugal as representatives of Macao was in 1998, before the Handover. This activity is part of the 2012: EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue, an important, large-scale initiative for the exchange of arts, culture and the humanities between China and Europe. This agenda this year includes the presentation of a series of top-quality Chinese cultural activities to European audiences in 27 member states of the European Union. The Macao Chinese Orchestra is participating, as musical and cultural ambassadors of the MSAR, in the Grand Event honouring Guimarães, Portugal, as 2012 European Capital of Culture. Their tour, promoting the cultural customs and musical features of Macao, also takes them to the university city of Coimbra and to Lisbon, the Portuguese capital. The three cities on the tour represent the northern, central and mid-southern areas of Portugal. After the first performance in Guimarães on 27th July, the Orchestra will present their East Journey Musical Concert, outdoors, at the 4th Coimbra Arts Festival the following day. The final concert of the tour will take place on the outdoor plaza of Lisbon's 200-year-old São Carlos National Theatre as part of the Festival ao Largo on 29th July. The traveling delegation is led by Ung Vai Meng, President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and Pang Ka Pang, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Chinese Orchestra. Pang will lead the Orchestra in presenting masterpieces of traditional Chinese music, as well as works commissioned by the Cultural Affairs Bureau for the Macao Chinese Orchestra. Some of these commissioned works will be heard in their European premieres. The Orchestra will also collaborate with renowned Portuguese fado singer Carlos do Carmo and other Portuguese artists, providing an unforgettable Sino-European cultural experience. During the tour, the delegation will also participate in exchange with the event organisers, meeting with individuals from the Portuguese cultural sector to enhance the friendship between China and Portugal. EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue The year of 2012 is the EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission. The event organisers are co-operating with the European Commission, and the entirety of Europe, to realise this project in Europe and China simultaneously. The abundant and varied cultural activities will facilitate exchange and collaboration between elements of Chinese and European culture. The Macao Chinese Orchestra's tour of Portugal, as part of the EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue, represents both an iconic bridge for interchange between Chinese and Portuguese music and an ample stage for the future of cultural and artistic communication between these two countries. 2012 European Capital of Culture: Guimarães The ancient Portuguese city of Guimarães has a long history and is known as the birthplace of Portugal, the cradle of the Portuguese nation. In 2009 Guimarães, along with Maribor, Slovenia, were designated the 2012 European Capitals of Culture by the Council of the European Union. After a 14-year hiatus, the Macao Chinese Orchestra once again embarks upon a performance tour in Portugal and will take part in the Grand Event Celebrating Guimarães as a European Capital of Culture. With great charisma and skill, the Orchestra and its unique musical repertoire will promote the distinguished cultural tradition of Macao, further confirming the Region's place in the world as a nexus of integration for Chinese and Western culture.
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Six finalists were selected in the semi-final of the Yundi Macao Young Musicians Competition, organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and Melco Crown Entertainment (MCE). The Grand Final is scheduled on July 31, Tuesday at Dom Pedro V Theatre. International piano maestro Yundi, as the Head Judge, will join two of the most respected musicians from Central and Shanghai Conservatory of Music to choose the winner. The concept of the Melco Crown Entertainment – Yundi Scholarship (the Scholarship), which will be awarded to the winner of the competition, originated in the Special 1st Anniversary Charity Show for the flagship entertainment resort of Melco Crown Entertainment, City of Dreams' entertainment centerpiece "House of Dancing Water". In the event, Melco Crown Entertainment announced the Scholarship, with the objective to support and promote Macao's development in music, arts and culture whilst providing opportunities and financial support for aspiring professional soloists to be coached at a world-renowned institution. The Yundi Macao Young Musicians Competition received a great number of applications after registration opened in April from numerous young local musicians of great talent. The semi-final took place on 23rd July, Monday, at the Dom Pedro V Theatre. The ten semi-finalists performed a compulsory piece live before the jury, who then selected as the finalists Choi Hio Lam (guzheng), Zhou Cheng Lam (cello), Su Fei Nga (violin), Cheong Hoi Leong (piano), Poon Ho Suet (piano) and Chan Sin (piano). In the final round, participants will again perform the same compulsory piece plus a full concert work of their choosing. This competition seeks to perpetuate the art of music, enabling local gifted musicians to develop their talent and promoting the local development of the musical arts and culture. MCE, whose key Corporate Social Responsibility pillar is to inspire young people of Macau to develop a passion for culture and arts, will award the winner the Scholarship in the amount of up to MOP 1 million, giving this excellent Macao musician the opportunity to further his or her studies in a world renowned institution, on the path to becoming a professional soloist.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, new approvals of residential mortgage loans (RMLs) and commercial real estate loans (CRELs) rose in May 2012. With regard to outstanding balance, both RMLs and CRELs also witnessed slight increases. New Lending Approved In May 2012, new RMLs approved by Macao banks grew notably by 42.4% month-to-month to MOP4.0 billion; of which, 95.5% was extended to residents. In terms of value, new RMLs to residents rose 48.3% whereas those to non-residents fell 22.9%. New RMLs collateralised by uncompleted units (i.e. equitable mortgage) rose 61.7% month-to-month to MOP154.5 million; of which 91.0% was extended to residents. The equitable mortgage to residents and non-residents rose 51.5% and 395.9% respectively. New CRELs increased month-to-month by 31.3% to MOP2.0 billion; of which, 97.0% was granted to residents. In terms of value, new CRELs to residents rose 39.3% whereas those to non-residents dropped 54.1% from one month earlier. Outstanding Balances As at end-May 2012, the outstanding value of RMLs reached MOP81.0 billion, an increase of 2.2% from one month earlier. The resident component made up 92.5% of the total. Outstanding RMLs to residents grew by 2.5% while those to non-residents edged down 1.3% over one month earlier. Concurrently, the outstanding value of CRELs grew 1.7% from end-April to MOP62.9 billion. Residents accounted for 90.3% of the loans. Compared with one month earlier, outstanding CRELs to residents and non-residents edged up 1.8% and 0.2% respectively. Delinquency Ratios At the end of May 2012, the delinquency ratio for RMLs stood at 0.07%, down 0.02 percentage points from one month earlier. The ratio for CRELs remained unchanged from end-April at 0.09%. For enquiry, please contact:
Research and Statistics Department Monetary Authority of Macao
(Tel：83952532; Fax：28353042)
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Consumer Council released its latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' dated 19th July. In comparison with last month's data, prices of over half of the surveyed items remained stable or recorded light decrease. In comparison with June's data, prices of 114 out of over 310 items recorded this month remained unchanged while 79 items recorded light decrease in price, price decreases were mainly recorded in categorizes such as beverages, snacks, sanitary and hygienic products. Price drops were also observed in many cooking oil brands, prices of 'King Chef 100% Pure Corn Oil (3.5L)' had dropped by 6.11 percent. Prices of 125 items, mainly dairy products and household cleansing products, have increased but with an average increase less than 5 percent. 'Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes (Refills) (144pcs)' recorded the highest price rise of 8.96 percent. Among the top ten products with the most price differences, prices of the first three sold in different retail outlets varied for over 100 percent: highest and lowest selling price of 'Kraft Miracle Whip Dressing (12oz/354ml)' differed for 116 percent, as the said item was marked as a sale item in one outlet in Taipa. Consumers are advised to check with the information available on the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform'. For a more comprehensive survey, Consumer Council chooses one specific branch from each supermarket chain as regular surveyed points while randomly selects different branches each month to compare their differences in selling price. This month's survey showed that a general price difference of around 5 to 20 percent existed in some of the items sold in different branches of San Miu, Royal, and Park'N Shop. For example, prices of 'Campbells' Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup (305g)' in Rua Areia Preta and Taipa branches of Park'N Shop varied for $3.10, which was equivalent to more than 30 percent in price. Consumers are advised to check with the data provided by the Council on its website and its 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android smart phone apps. The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM's Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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Leaders of the Macao SAR and the Republic of Cape Verde today exchanged views on how to further expand co-operation by using Macao as the trading and business platform for China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, met the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr José Maria Pereira Neves, at Santa Sancha, the official premises to receive important guests. Mr Chui welcomed the visiting delegation and said he was happy to know the delegation had achieved much success in the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation just held in Beijing. Based on the far-reaching historical relationship and friendship between Macao and Cape Verde, the bilateral co-operation on trade, tourism, culture, and sports would reach a new stage when Macao's role as a business platform continued to get more depth, said the Chief Executive. Mr Neves affirmed the role of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation for China and Portuguese-speaking countries with Macao as a bridge, and said that Macao and Cape Verde could enhance co-operations in many aspects including personnel training on leisure tourism, technology, medical and public administration. He stressed that the two governments could put more efforts on economic co-operations to attract more investors to do business in Cape Verde. The Chief Executive agreed that there was a need for mutual support for common development, and the need of professional training for the tourism sector. He also said the government would continue to organise field trips for Macao entrepreneurs who have interest to invest in Cape Verde. The Minister of Tourism, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr Humberto Brito, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr José Luis Rocha, the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Cape Verde in Beijing, Mr. Julio Morais, the Honorary Consul of Republic of Cape Verde in Macao, Mr David Chow, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen, the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng, the Director of the Supporting Office to the Secretariat of China and Portuguese - Speaking Countries Economic Cooperation Forum (Macao), Ms Rita Botelho dos Santos, the Advisor of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Fung Sio Weng also attended the meeting.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that visitor arrivals decreased by 3.4% year-on-year to 2,106,696 in June 2012; same-day visitors (1,041,419) accounted for 49.4% of the total. The average length of stay of visitors decreased by 0.1 day year-on-year to 1.0 day, with overnight visitors and same-day visitors staying 1.8 days and 0.2 day respectively. Analyzed by place of residence, visitors from Mainland China increased slightly by 1.8% year-on-year to 1,220,846, coming mostly from Guangdong Province (588,987), Fujian Province (54,543) and Zhejiang Province (47,718); inbound Mainland visitors travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme rose by 11.3% to 517,935 and Japanese visitors (34,614) registered a notable increase of 28.0%. However, visitors from Hong Kong (558,878); Taiwan, China (87,025); and the Republic of Korea (29,792) decreased by 9.9%, 22.1% and 4.2% respectively. Long-haul visitors from Europe (16,492) increased slightly by 0.2% year-on-year but those from the Americas (23,719) and Oceania (9,061) decreased by 4.9% and 1.0% respectively. Visitor arrivals totalled 6,635,394 in the second quarter of 2012, down by 2.6% year-on-year; for the first half year of 2012, visitor arrivals reached 13,577,714 but the rate of increase narrowed to 2.5% year-on-year. Visitors from Mainland China (8,111,212), the Republic of Korea (214,785) and Japan (206,133) increased by 8.5%, 9.9% and 14.8% respectively. On the contrary, visitors from Hong Kong (3,474,329) and Taiwan, China (501,391) decreased by 6.6% and 16.5% respectively.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today met with the President of the Republic of Benin, Mr Boni Yayi, to discuss the feasibility in bilateral co-operation on trade, culture and tourism. The meeting took at Santa Sancha where Mr Chui welcomed Mr Yayi, who was on a private visit after attending the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation held in Beijing. Mr Chui introduced the guests to the latest social and economic development of the Macao SAR established 13 years ago with the successful implementation of "One country, two systems" principle. Mr Yayi said the Republic of Banin and African Union have co-operated well and has gained fruitful results at the Forum this time. He said to have a better understanding of bilateral co-operation on trade and tourism was the chief aim of this visit. The President then briefly introduced the social and economic development of Benin to his Macao counterparts, adding that he believed bilateral co-operation could achieve a win-win result. Mr Chui agreed that there was room to open up co-operation with Republic of Benin, based on the good co-operative foundation with the Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. Ministry of Foreign Affair of Republic of Benin, Mr Nassirou Bako Arifari, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Lambert Koty, Special Assistant to the President for External Relations Issues, Ms Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo, the Secretary for Public Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng, the Secretary-General of the Executive Council, Ms O Lam, and the Advisor of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Fung Sio Weng also attended the meeting.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Composite CPI (117.11) for June 2012 increased by 6.19% year-on-year, attributable to higher charges for meals bought away from home and dearer price of vegetable. For the 12 months ended June 2012, the average Composite CPI increased by 6.44% from the preceding period; the average CPI-A and CPI-B also rose by 6.40% and 6.66% respectively. In comparison with June 2011, notable increase was observed in the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+32.18%); and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+8.94%) on account of rising charges for meals bought away from home, as well as dearer prices of vegetable and fresh pork. On the contrary, price index of Communication and Transport decreased by 6.58% and 0.11%. The CPI-A (116.56) and CPI-B (117.74) increased by 6.60% and 6.37% respectively year-on-year. The Composite CPI increased by 0.22% month-to-month, with the price index of Clothing & Footwear; and Recreation & Culture rising by 1.73% and 0.93% respectively. Besides, gasoline prices were lowered four times in June and receded vegetable prices pushed down the price index of Transport; and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages by 1.81% and 0.07%. The CPI-A and CPI-B increased by 0.21% and 0.23% month-to-month. The average Composite CPI for the first half year of 2012 increased by 6.42% year-on-year, of which the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+29.19%); and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+9.53%) saw noticeable increase, while that of Communication decreased by 6.50%. The CPI-A and CPI-B rose by 6.56% and 6.68% respectively year-on-year. The 2008/2009-based Composite CPI reflects the impact of price changes on the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 50% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP6,000 to MOP18,999. The CPI-B relates to about 30% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP19,000 to MOP34,999.
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The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was confirmed by the Immigration Department of the Republic of Fiji that holders of the Macao SAR Passport can be exempted from visa requirements when entering the Republic of Fiji for a maximum stay of 4 months. At present, a total of 102 countries and territories have agreed to grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the Macao SAR passport holders, while 9 countries have agreed to grant the visa-free access to the Macao SAR Travel Permit holders.
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Three PhD students of the University of Macau's (UM) Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS), who are no strangers to giving quality evaluation on Chinese medicines, were recently put on the receiving end of quality evaluation at their oral defenses. They passed the oral defenses with flying colours, receiving unanimous praise from Examination Committee members from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macao. According to Examination Committee member Prof. Karl Tsim, who is from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the quality of the UM candidates is so high that it compares favourably with the quality of his top PhD students at HKUST. The three PhD candidates highly praised by the international experts on the Examination Committee are Qian Zhengming, Huang Weihua and Chen Xiaojia. Qian's thesis is titled "Analysis of Global Components in Water Extracts of Ten Valued Traditional Chinese Medicines Using Liquid Chromatography System with Multiple Columns and Detectors". Chen's thesis, titled "Development of Microscale Separation Techniques for Quality Control of Chinese Medicines", focuses on the analysis of flavonoids and nucleosides in selected Chinese medicines using microscale separation techniques including capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography. Both the theses are helpful for the overall quality control of traditional Chinese medicines. Huang's thesis is titled "Chemical Study of Oplopanax horridus", and focuses on the discovery of active substances from Oplopanax horridus to make the use of this traditional medicine safer and more efficient. Apart from Prof. Tsim, other members on the Examination Committee included UM's Vice Rector (Research) Prof. Rui Martins; ICMS and the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine (UM) Director Prof. Wang Yitao; Prof. Li Shaoping, Prof. Lee Ming-Yuen, Prof. Zheng Ying and Dr. Zhang Qingwen from ICMS; Prof. Ziad El Rassi from Oklahoma State University, U.S.; Prof. Frantisek Svec from the University of California, Berkeley, U.S.; Prof. Jun Haginaka from Mukogawa Women's University, Japan; Prof. Yeong Shik Kim from Seoul National University, South Korea; Prof. Zhang Yukui from the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Prof. Yu Rongmin from Jinan University, China.
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