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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is organizing this week its annual promotional highlights in Korea to meet trade, public and media. MGTO is heading a delegation with a record number of travel trade participants from Macau and for the first time the promotion will be extended to Gwangju, in tandem with Seoul and Busan. Korea is the city’s top international visitor source market after Greater China and one of the most promising ones to diversify the city’s visitor source markets. MGTO Deputy Director Cecilia Tse is in Korea to preside over the promotional events, accompanied by the head of Destination Marketing Department, Betty Fok, and the head of Marketing Division, Cora Vong, along with Macau travel trades, representing 30 tourism related companies, namely hotels, travel agencies, convention and exhibition venues and transportation companies. The program of the annual promotion includes Macau Travel Marts in Seoul, Gwangju and Busan, a dinner with Korean tourism executives, an art exhibition about Macau, among others. Macau through Korean artists’ perspective Cecilia Tse, accompanied by MGTO and Macau Travel trade representatives, opened today (22) in Seoul the exhibition “Touching Moments in Macau through Artists' Perspective” at Ganainsa Art Centre, with works of Korean contemporary artists offering a new angle for Korean public to see Macau. The display presents Macau-inspired works by six renowned Korean artists, following their visit to the city, in January this year. The displayed artists are: the sculptor Byungjoo Kim, the videographer and photographer Sehwan Roh, the painter and sculptor Heeseop Park, the painters Kangwook Lee, Dongjae Lee and SueJin Chung. The exhibition is curated by Heekyung Kang, the chief-executive-officer of Gana Art Park, a prestigious institution dedicated to enhance the artistic environment in Korea. “We have shown Macau on television, magazines, newspapers, through photos, design and so forth. I have to stress that contemporary art is our very first attempt in Korea. Especially, the collaboration with such acclaimed Korean artists has a very special meaning. As the title of the exhibition says, the art works will provide a brand new point of view to experience Macau”, Cecilia Tse said at the opening. Macau Travel Marts in Seoul, Gwangju and Busan The Macau Travel Mart in Seoul and a press conference were held yesterday at the Korean capital. At the meeting with the press, Cecilia Tse noted that “for the seventh consecutive year, we are organizing in Seoul and Busan our big annual promotion, this time in a more extensive scale including one more city, Gwangju, to match the growing interest of Koreans about Macau, and the great potential we see for further growth.” The Macau Travel Mart in Seoul was joined by around 160 Korean travel trades for conducting businesses with its Macau counterparts. The program of the travel mart included an update presentation about new tourism complexes slated to open soon in Macau. Also in Seoul, on Monday MGTO hosted a dinner, where Cecilia Tse met a group of Korean travel trade executives, including the leaders of Korea Association of Travel Agents, airlines and major travel agencies. On Thursday, MGTO officials and Macau travel trade representatives will be in Gwangju, Korea 's third largest city in the western region of the country, to meet around 50 Gwangju counterparts for business contacts and a luncheon reception. On Friday, DST representatives and Macau tourism operators will be in Busan, Korea’s second largest city, where around 80 guests are expected for the Macau Travel Mart, followed by a dinner reception. Good performance of Korea market Last year, Korea achieved the landmark of becoming Macau’s first international market to surpass half million in terms of visitor arrivals, after Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan). Korea is currently Macau’s top international visitor source market, and fourth largest visitor source market, after Mainland of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Macau welcomed in 2014 more than 554 thousand visitors from Korea, a 16.9 per cent year-on-year increase. This year, the Korean market is having a good start, in the first two months of the year, visitor arrivals increased 12 per cent, to more than 125 thousand visitors, compared to the same period in 2014. Air links between Korea and Macau have also kept on increasing to the current 22 flights a week.
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Macao Post will participate the “London 2015 EUROPHILEX”, located at London, during 13th to 16th May, 2015. To commemorate this Exhibition, Macao Post issues the commemorative envelopes and provides the commemorative postmark cancellation service on site of the exhibition. For the convenience of the philatelist, the commemorative envelope with stamp priced at MOP4.50 will also be available for sale at the Philatelic Shop of Macao Post Headquarters starting from 13th May. You may send your mail of this cancelled commemorative envelope at the following locations *: Philatelic Shop at Macao Post Headquarters: 13th May 9:00 – 17:45 Post Offices: 13th to 16th May Office Hours to Public * No commemorative postmark cancellation service will be provided in Macao.
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The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, said today Nansha, Hengqin and Qianhai -- the three areas of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) -- had their own characteristics and the Government would seek co-operation opportunities to leverage Macao’s own advantages. Ms Chan, who is on behalf of the Chief Executive Mr Chui Sai On, attended today’s plague-unveiling ceremony for the Guangdong FTZ at Nansha in Guangzhou, said that on the basis of strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland, the Government would explore co-operation opportunities that would favour to turn Macao into “one centre and one platform”. The “centre” and “platform” refer to a world centre of tourism and leisure, and a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between the mainland and the Portuguese-speaking countries. She said the Government had completed the research on alternative dispute resolution and with the establishment of FTZ, the related work with Hengqin would be expedited. During today’s ceremony, Ms Chan also officiated the presentation ceremony for the Hengqin Macao Youth Business Valley and presented a certificate to one of the first batch of enterprises setting up their business in the FTZ. After the ceremony, she toured the display boards to learn more of the latest developments of the FTZ. The Guangdong FTZ covers three designated areas in Nansha, Qianhai and Hengqin, with the aim to take a leading position in the coming nationwide economic reform, a central hub of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and a pilot area for closer co-operation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
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The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, said today the visit to Fujian had achieved practical results in facilitating enterprises in the two places and in cross-boundary investments, further leveraging Macao’s advantages in the Portuguese-speaking countries. Speaking to reporters at the end of his two-day visit, Mr Leong said aspects of co-operation explored included MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and events), finance, trade, tourism and culture, during the meetings with Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China Mr You Quan and the Governor Mr Su Shulin, the Vice-Governor Mr Zheng Xiaosong. In the new phase in Fujian-Macao co-operation, the Government would step up the review of related legislations and work achieved in the past, and invite Fujian enterprises to Macao in a move to diversify the structure of the economy. This is in line with the President Xi Jinping’s advice on strengthening Macao’s own competitiveness and boosting regional co-operation, especially with neighbouring cities such as Guangdong and Fujian. The Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), which was launched today, and the country’s plan to build Fujian as a core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, will bring further opportunities for Fujian-Macao co-operation. Mr Leong said the Government would make more efforts in promoting FTZ here, including organising visits to familiarise Macao’s businessmen with the latest developments in the area. Macao’s network in the Portuguese-speaking countries will facilitate Fujian in establishing co-operation with those countries. Upon the launching of different FTZs, the Government would study cautiously their different functions, especially their roles in the country’s strategic development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (“Belt and Road”). Macao’s close ties with the Portuguese-speaking countries would bring complementary advantages in the co-operations with different FTZs, he said. Mr Leong was appointed by the Chief Executive Mr Chui Sai On to represent the Government on the Fujian-Macao co-operation.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, met with the visiting Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Japan, Mr Cheng Yonghua, when they exchanged views on external affairs of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The meeting on 20 April was held at Government Headquarters, where Mr Chui thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macao for their long-term support and helping Macao take part in projects organised by international organisations and in the handling of emergency cases. He said the Government had been closely following the principles of the Basic Law in establishing external relations. The Ambassador, on his second visit to Macao, said he thought the people here were friendly, sincere and honest, and the community was harmonious and stable. Besides the gaming industry, Macao was rich in history, culture and contemporary industries, he said. Mr Chui also updated Mr Cheng on Japan-Macao relations, especially in tourism, trade and infrastructure construction. Mr Cheng said the Embassy and the Ministry would support Macao in building closer ties with Japan. Also in the meeting were the wife of the Ambassador and counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Japan, Ms Wang Wan; the Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macao, Mr Pan Yundong; the Co-ordinator of the Policy Study Office of the Ministry, Mr Nie Quan; the Head of the Bilateral Relations and Policy Division of the Embassy, Mr Zhang Yibo, together with the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam; and the Director of Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng.
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The CCAC unveiled a case where two employees of the Civil Engineering Laboratory (LECM) allegedly accepted bribes from some people of an engineering company in return for assistance in making false soil test reports. The relevant suspects allegedly committed offences of active bribery, document forgery by a public servant and passive bribery to perform an illicit act under the Penal Code, which may be subject to imprisonment for a maximum term of 3 years, 5 years and 8 years respectively. The case has been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office. It is reported that, in late May 2014, a gaming company discovered that a section of a public pavement outside its large-scale casino under construction caved in just a few days after the completion of road works and being opened to traffic. Subsequently the gaming company, through the general contractor of the roadworks project, requested the subcontractor to follow up the matter and present the relevant soil test reports. However, as the subcontractor did not have the tests done at the time the works took place, it would have to apply for road closure again and redo the excavation on the section if the soil tests needed to be made up. To save the hassle, a senior officer surnamed Mak and an external engineering consultant surnamed Tai from the subcontracting company decided to submit the soil test reports to the general contractor without doing the digging all again. After an in-depth investigation by the CCAC’s staff, it came to light that Tai offered bribes amounting to 40,000 patacas to an engineer surnamed S. and a laboratory technician surnamed Tam from LECM, who then returned the favour by producing, with the assistance of Mak, 10 bogus soil test reports. Those reports were later on sent to the general contractor by Mak as proof of quality for the section concerned. During the investigation, some confessed having accepted kickbacks from the people of the subcontracting company and having made the said bogus test reports without actually taking samples and conducting examinations. The CCAC’s staff also found that there were already noticeable cracks on the concerned section within less than half a year after it was filled and opened to traffic. To ensure the safety of drivers and other road users, the CCAC has notified the competent departments of the relevant situation.
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Fujian’s advantages in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and its establishment of a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) would bring in more vitality to Fujian-Macao co-operation, the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today. Macao and Fujian governments will make best use of the emerging development opportunities, pressing ahead on the multi-destination travel model and the promotion of A-Ma culture, as the contribution to the country’s development strategy of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (“Belt and Road”). Mr Chui said this at a meeting with the Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr You Quan, and the Governor, Mr Su Shulin, before attending the Fujian-Macao high-level meeting in the evening. Leading a delegation to Fujian for a two-day visit, Mr Chui said they were there to learn from the province’s experience in building the FTZ and get better grasps on the “Belt and Road”. Mr Chui said the promotion of A-Ma culture, one of the cultural connections between the two places, would help Macao build closer relations with Taiwan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was also in line with the Central Government’s advice on strengthening regional ties during the period of consolidation. He said the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, would represent the Government on the Fujian-Macao co-operation affairs. In the meeting, he thanked the Fujian government for its long-term concern and support, saying the two places had achieved great results in tourism since the establishment of the Special Administrative Region 15 years ago. The Secretary, Mr You, said there would be meetings held on a regular basis as a contact mechanism had been established by Fujian’s Vice-Governor, Mr Zheng Xiaoqong, and the Secretary Mr Leong Vai Tac. The profoundness in culture and history, and the increasing bi-lateral co-operation in trade, investment and culture, had provided more opportunities for further co-operation, he said. The Governor Mr Su said as Macao entered a new phase of development, the Fujian government would strongly support Macao’s strategy in economic diversification, in particular in tourism and culture. Fujian would make best use of Macao’s special position in the Portuguese-speaking countries, while it could be Macao’s platform with Taiwan, said Mr Su. Fujian is the core area of the Road and a province of FTZ, with the strategy to strengthen developments in investment, trade, border-crossing, shipping and finance. Members of the Macao delegation included Secretary for Economy and Finance Mr Leong Vai Tac, Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office Ms O Lam, Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance Ms Lok Kit Sim, Director of the Government Information Bureau Mr Chan Chi Ping, and Director of Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Mr Fung Sio Weng, and the Chief Executive’s consultant Mr Kou Chin Hong. The Deputy-Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr Yu Weiguo, and Vice-Governor, Mr Zheng Xiaosong, were also at the meeting.
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Consumer Council conducted a quality test on 10 household rubber gloves, all samples passed the leaking test but only 1 sample passed the tensile strength test. The test results are available in the latest issue no. 259 Consumer Report. Selling prices of rubber gloves vary, among the 10 rubber gloves samples tested by the Council, the price of the most expensive one amounts to double of the price of the cheapest one. The test results show that all 10 rubber gloves samples passed the leaking test, and the selling prices of the gloves do not necessarily reflect corresponding durability and efficiency of the gloves. Among all tested sample, only 1 sample that is relatively cheaper passes both tensile strength and elongation tests, however, other 9 samples (including the expensive ones) all fail the tensile strength test. Details of the test can be found in the latest issue no.259 Consumer Report. Consumers buying beauty treatment packages from beauty centres is a form of prepayment consumption. Consumer Council sent out questionnaires to beauty centres to inquire about whether they are willing or not to transact with consumers by setting up contract. Most beauty centres agree to set up contracts with consumers and believe that this will help safeguard consumer rights and boost consumers’ confidence. Consumer are therefore advised to request a contract to be set up with the concerned beauty centre when buying beauty treatment packages and request for a ‘cool down period’ to safeguard their own rights. Results of the questionnaire can be found in this issue of Consumer Report. Consumer Council has consolidated the 321 comments collected during the consultation period of ‘Review on Consumer Protection Law’ and put them into 5 groups, namely the prohibition of unfair trade practice, the protection of consumer rights to information, a sturdy mechanism to solve consumer dispute, and new legislation to regulate new types of consumption, etc.. All the details can be found in this issue of Consumer Report. The latest issue of Consumer Report also covers the annual theme released by China Consumers’ Association and Consumers International. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the Consumer Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A, Edf. Cheung Heng, R/C), and the service counter of the Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza, libraries and bookstores. Consumers may also access the magazine online on the Council’s official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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After a visit by an expert team to the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion, the Government has decided the two selected pandas would arrive on 30 April. The expert team, comprising members from the State Forestry Administration and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, said the Pavilion’s environment was satisfactory, including its medical facilities, management and staffing. Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, who led the co-ordinating group for the selection, visited Chengdu last month to choose the eight-year-old female “Shurong” and its seven-year-old male partner “Yalin”. But the new arrivals would continue to use the name “Hoi Hoi” and “Sam Sam”, as the names were chosen by the people of Macao. The names literally mean “happiness”, which also represent the people’s joy with the gift from the Central Government. As for Hoi Hoi, or nicknamed “Shuxiang”, the male panda has been in Macao since 2010 and will be returned to the mainland for a national breeding programme due to its potent fertility. Its female partner, Sam Sam, died last year due to kidney failure. The offer of a new pair was announced by President Xi Jinping when he was here for the inauguration ceremony of the new government team last December.
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Due to technical problems during the uploading of data, the number of gaming tables for the first quarter end of 2015 should be 5,704. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) has amended the data on the website immediately. This amendment has no impact on other gaming data (e.g. gross gaming revenue) that was published earlier. We apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused. The DICJ will continue to review the gaming data uploading procedures to prevent reccurence of similar cases in the future.
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