News

Macau Government Tourist Office(MGTO) recently found out that some mobile users have received promotional messages about online gaming under the theme of “Experience Macau” from MGTO. The content was about inviting users to join certain online casino for settling cash award. MGTO clarifies that the Office has not sent out any of the related messages. The Office has at once reported the case to Gaming Inspection and Coordination bureau, Judiciary Police and Bureau of Telecommunications Regulation by writing.
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The “Sculpting the History of Macao: An Exhibition of Sculptures by Zhang Zexun”, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, was held at the Mandarin’s House Jishan Tang Mansion and was inaugurated on 27 November, Friday, at 4pm. President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng; the Representative and Assistant of the Chief of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Shao Bin; the President of the Macao Foundation, Wu Zhiliang; the Rector of the University of Macau, Wei Zhao; the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the University of Macau Development Foundation, Xie Zhiwei; the Member of the Cultural Heritage Committee, Lei Ip Fei; and the artist of “Zhang’s Clay Figures”, Professor Zhang Zexun attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition. ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’ were created by Zhang Mingshan in the mid 19th century (during the Daoguang period in the Qing Dynasty) and were inscribed in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006, and the essence of this art has been continuously inherited and carried forward. In order to present the ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’ for the public to understand the traditional Chinese art and culture, the Cultural Affairs Bureau specially organized this exhibition at the Mandarin’s House Jishan Tang Mansion, with the belief that these arts works exhibited in harmony under the natural atmosphere and environment of venue. This allows the audience to have a broad imagination and brings new elements in this historical house, thus it can become a platform for dissemination, inheritance and preservation of traditional culture. The exhibition presents works by Zhang Zexun, the fifth generation descendant of ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’, has inherited the tremendous artistic talents from her father and master Zhang Yue, the fourth generation descendant of ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’. Zhang Zexun has been a professor at the University of Macau since 2004 and has organized two solo exhibitions in 2007 and 2009. Her sculpture works and Chinese paintings were selected and awarded for art exhibits of different levels in China. This exhibition includes 19 sculpture works themed on historical figures, including Zheng Guanying, Luís de Camões, Lin Zexu, Matteo Ricci and George Chinnery’s The Fisherwoman. All of them have a remarkable resemblance and rich in artistic value, revealing Macao’s unique folk customs and traditions in a diversified way. ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’ are themed from legends, theatre, fiction works and daily life scenes. The human images are created by moulding and painting, and their characteristics are portrayed through the use of colour. These works reflect the contemporary living and combine with Chinese cultural and art traditions. In the history of Chinese sculpture, ‘Zhang’s Clay Figures’ are inherited from the art of clay figures. The works are closely related with to human daily lives, showing the beauty of human life and distinct style of realism. The “Sculpting the History of Macao: An Exhibition of Sculptures by Zhang Zexun” is held at the Mandarin’s House during its opening hours, from 10am to 6pm, with the last admission by 5:30pm, including public holidays; it closes on Wednesdays. Admission is free. For more information, please call through the number 2896 8820 during office hours.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) launches “Macao Tourism Data plus” today (27 November) for users from various sectors to collect a broad range of tourism statistics easily and experience convenient service for search of related information. The service launch is in line with the SAR Government’s development towards electronic administration and information transparency. MGTO has been offering tourism statistics and reports online via its Macau Tourism Industry Net. To optimize its related service, the Office now presents the “Macao Tourism Data plus” (“MTD plus”), an all-in-one platform with an inclusive range of tourism statistics on board. The platform reorganizes the statistics reports and publications produced by the Tourist Office. It also contains tourism-related information published by the Statistics and Census Service. To let users conveniently obtain and analyze Macau’s tourism data, the platform not only offers a broad spectrum of tourism figures but also is equipped with the function of interactive graphics. Users can choose to study the trends of each visitor source market or make a comparative analysis, to view visitor arrivals in the form of map, and to generate the type of charts among Bar Chart, Line Chart or Pie Chart and generate statistics tables according to their preference. They can also choose to export the statistics in graphics, PDF or data file formats. The “MTD plus” offers interactive data, tourism statistics tables, E-publications, other tourism statistics, distribution maps of visitor source markets, as well as tourism situation video. Among the functions, “Interactive Data” provides a personalized experience for users, who can acquire data according to their personal request and view charts displayed as interactive graphics. At present, the “MTD plus” provides the following indices for data enquiry: total visitor arrivals, source markets, modes of transport, average length of stay, average length of stay for hotel overnight guests. People from all sectors are welcome to use the “Macao Tourism Data plus” by visiting this website: mtdplus.macautourism.gov.mo or Macau Tourism Industry Net: industry.macautourism.gov.mo, and provide any suggestions for improvement. MGTO will keep developing electronic administration to enhance service quality and provide more comprehensive and convenient services for people from various sectors. Press release is available at: http://industry.macautourism.gov.mo/en/pressroom/
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council conducted its specific price surveys on household cleansing products, and shampoo & shower gels on 27 November. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and is available in the Council’s ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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To celebrate the 2015 MACAO Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon, Macao Post announced that a Temporary Post Counter will be set up at the Olympic Sports Centre and the Tap Seac Plaza on 6th December 2015, providing the commemorative postmark cancellation service for the “2015 MACAO Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon”. Two sizes of commemorative envelopes will be distributed to public. Various philatelic products will also be available for sale during the above activity. The service hours are as following: Olympic Sports Centre 06:00 to 12:00 Tap Seac Plaza 14:00 to 17:00 Welcome to visit and collect Macao Stamps.
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To commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Yuet Wah College, Macao Post announces that a Temporary Post Counter will be set up at Yuet Wah College, at 10:30 to 16:00 on 6th December 2015 providing the commemorative postmark cancellation service for the “Commemoration of 90th Anniversary of Yuet Wah College”. A commemorative envelope priced at MOP2.00 will be issued. Welcome to visit us and collect Macao Stamps!
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for October 2015 amounted to MOP764 million, down by 7.8% year-on-year; value of domestic exports (MOP137 million) declined by 21.4%, with that of Tobacco (MOP35 million) decreasing by 40.3%; value of re-exports (MOP628 million) also slid by 4.2%. Total merchandise import dropped by 4.8% year-on-year to MOP7.64 billion. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP6.88 billion. In the first ten months of 2015, total value of merchandise export amounted to MOP8.91 billion, with the year-on-year growth slowing to 9.9%; value of re-exports (MOP7.43 billion) increased by 15.2%, but that of domestic exports (MOP1.48 billion) decreased by 11.0%. Total value of merchandise import fell by 2.2% to MOP71.27 billion. Merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP62.35 billion for the first ten months of 2015. Analysed by destination, merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP5.34 billion) and Mainland China (MOP1.50 billion) in the first ten months of 2015 increased by 12.2% and 18.5% year-on-year, while export to the EU (MOP185 million) and the USA (MOP166 million) decreased by 22.1% and 36.9% respectively. Exports of Non-textiles increased by 10.6% year-on-year to MOP8.24 billion, of which value of Clocks & watches (MOP1.10 billion) and Electronic components (MOP780 million) rose by 55.9% and 41.7% respectively, but that of Machines, apparatus & parts (MOP946 million) dropped by 34.9%. Exports of Textiles & garments totalled MOP674 million, up by 2.1%. By country of origin, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP26.43 billion) in the first ten months of 2015 increased by 11.0% year-on-year, while import from the EU (MOP15.97 billion) fell by 12.3%. Imports of Consumer goods dropped by 7.2% to MOP42.67 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP5.97 billion) decreasing by 25.9%, but that of Food & beverages (MOP9.98 billion) increasing by 4.3%. Moreover, imports of Mobile phones (MOP6.50 billion) expanded by 20.2%, while imports of Fuels & lubricants (MOP5.90 billion) declined by 12.6%. External merchandise trade reached MOP80.18 billion in the first ten months of 2015, down by 1.0% compared with MOP81.00 billion a year earlier.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the unemployment rate (1.9%) and the underemployment rate (0.5%) for August-October 2015 remained stable as in July-September. Total labour force was 402,000 and the labour force participation rate stood at 73.2%. Total employment decreased by 400 from July-September, at 394,500. Analysed by industry, employment in Construction (51,900) dropped by 1,000, while that in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (55,600) rose by 800. Number of the unemployed was 7,500, down by 100 from July-September; fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 11.9% of the total unemployed, down by 2.7 percentage points. In comparison with August-October 2014, the labour force participation rate decreased by 1.0 percentage point, while both the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points.
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Giant panda “Shu Xiang” will on Sunday (29 November) be sent back to the mainland as part of a national breeding programme for the mammals. “Shu Xiang” has been kept in quarantine at a local facility prior to leaving the city for Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The departure date for the animal was decided after consultation between the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and authorities from the mainland. The decision took into consideration included weather conditions and the timetable for completion of a string of preparative procedures, such as the issuing of an export permit, the quarantine process and transportation arrangements. “Shu Xiang”, which has been in Macao since 2010, lost its female giant panda companion last year when it died from kidney failure. A team of experts suggested that “Shu Xiang” be returned to Chengdu for better pair matching opportunities and possible breeding, now that the panda is of breeding age. The animals currently housed in the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion are “Kai Kai” and “Xin Xin”. The pair arrived in Macao on 30 April. President Xi Jinping had announced the gift to Macao of the new pair when he was in the city last December for the inauguration of the SAR’s new Government team.
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Consumer Council conducted its seventh ‘Supermarket price survey’ in November on 26 November for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 12 supermarkets in Sé Parish. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer 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. With reference to the local six parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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