News

Consumer Report issue no. 274 includes a report conducted by Consumer Council on the hygienic condition and quality of condoms, and a detailed report on the analysis of product labels of routers. Consumers may get the magazine for free and various locations, or browse the contents on the Council’s website and WeChat official account. Consumer Council examined 18 types of condoms from the market to test their leakage, breakage, and hygiene, etc.; all samples tested pass the China’s national standards for technique and hygiene. Even though the dimensions of the tested products comply with the requirement of the testing standard, there is generally no labeling about the product dimension on all product packages, and most of the condoms claim to be ‘thin’ or ‘extra thin’ but the thickness is not listed on the package as well. Consumers may check the detailed report in the latest issue of Consumer Report. For safety and health reasons, Consumer Council reminds consumers to pay attention to the expiry dates of condoms, and not to purchase condoms of unknown sources and poor packaging. Consumers now generally use wireless router at home, and it may require some professional knowledge when buying one, the Council therefore collects 17 different dual-band routers and compares the information on their product labels, including wireless technique format, speed, functions, and prices, etc.. Details of the comparison and suggestions on how to choose a router that fits consumer’s personal needs can be found in Consumer Report. The Council and Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) work together to test on the quality of bottled water. The annual test result shows that all 30 examples of distilled water, spring water, and mineral water pass the test. Details of the report and other suggestions on purchasing bottled water can be found in Consumer Report. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the 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) and WeChat official account. For enquiry, please call 8988-9315.
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The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP151.3 billion (USD18.94 billion) at the end of June 2016. The reserves increased by 0.6% from the revised value of MOP150.4 billion (USD18.79 billion) for the previous month. Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves at end-June 2016 represented 12 times the currency in circulation or 106.5% of Pataca M2 at end-May 2016. The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the pataca rose 0.15 points month-to-month and 1.52 points year-on-year to 105.51 in June 2016, implying that overall speaking, the pataca appreciated against the currencies of Macao’s major trading partners.
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Following the military coup in Turkey, the Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) received 1 request for information and 1 request for assistance. The request for assistance is from a Macao resident who is currently safe and awaiting for the return flight to Hong Kong in the restricted area of the Istanbul airport. She reported that she was provided food by the airline. The GGCT is in permanent contact with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the Macao SAR and the Embassy of China in Turkey, to provide relevant information and possible assistance to the resident. If necessary, Macao residents can call: 24-hour Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000; The Chinese Embassy and consulates or the Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24-hour hotline: +86 10 12308 for assistance.
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The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) is paying close attention to the military coup in Turkey. Given the recent security situation in Turkey, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Turkey issued a security alert to Chinese citizens. Following is the translated version of the full text: “According to news by the Turkish media, from the night of the 15th to the dawn of the 16th of July, a military coup occurred in Turkey. At the moment, the security situation is serious and complicated. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Turkey urges Chinese citizens already in that country and overseas Chinese to remain in their residences and stay calm. In case of emergency, they can contact the following numbers for assistance: Embassy of China in Turkey for Consular Protection and Assistance: +90-5388215530 Consulate-General of China in Istanbul for Consular Protection and Assistance: + 90-5313389459 Consulate-General of China in Izmir for Consular Protection and Assistance: +90-5358802656 Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: +86-10-12308 or +86-10-59913991.” The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) alerts Macao residents to follow closely the situation, reconsider unnecessary travels and cautiously consider their travel plans. From information gathered through the Macao travel industry, currently there is no indication that Macao tour groups have been affected. Until the present moment, GGCT has not received any request for information or assistance. If necessary, Macao residents can call: 24-hour Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000; The Chinese Embassy and consulates or the Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24-hour hotline: +86 10 12308 for assistance.
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Consumer Council conducted its first ‘Supermarket price survey’ in July on 15 July for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets in São Lázaro and São Lourenço Parishes. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. 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 seven 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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Consumer Council received a total of 3,322 cases in the first 6 months of 2016. 832 cases were complaints, 2,464 were enquiries, and 26 cases were suggestions. The total number of complaint cases received in the first half year has decreased by about 6 percent, compared with the same time last year. The total number of cases of the top 5 categories of complaints amounted to 383, which is about 46 percent of the total. The top 5 categories were real estate (105 cases), telecommunication equipment and supplies (102 cases), telecommunication services (79 cases), public transportation (49 cases), and food and beverages (48 cases). A detailed analysis of the number of cases received in the first half year of 2016 will be published later by the Council in its monthly magazine Consumer Report.
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Given the recent security situation in Nice, France, the Consulate-General of China in Marseille issued a security alert to Chinese citizens. Following is the translated version of the full text: “On the night of the 14th of July, an attack took place at the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. The Consulate-General of China in Marseille reminds Chinese citizens in that country to follow the security indications given by the French police authorities, avoid leaving their residences, take precautions to safeguard their personal safety and to maintain contact with their families. In case of emergency, please contact the Consulate-General for Consular Protection and Assistance - 24 hour hotline (0033) 0671905835 or alternative number: (0033) 0629862037.” The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) will continue to monitor closely the latest developments and alerts Macao residents who intend to travel to France to follow closely the situation, critically assess the security risks and cautiously consider their travel plans. Macao residents already in France should strengthen their security precautions to ensure their personal safety. From information gathered through the Macao travel industry, currently there is no indication that Macao tour groups have been affected. Until the present moment, GGCT has received 1 request for information and no request for assistance. If necessary, Macao residents can call: 24-hour Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000; The Chinese Embassy and consulates or the Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24-hour hotline: +86 10 12308 for assistance.
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Three journals from the University of Macau (UM), namely China Information, the International Journal of Biological Sciences, and Chinese Medicine, have been indexed in the Science Citation Index (SCI) and the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), according to the 2016 Journal Citation Reports (JCR). China Information has an impact factor of 0.966, ranking No 8 among all the journals on area studies, and No 2 among all the journals on China studies. Released by Thomson Reuters, the JCR offers a systematic, objective means to critically evaluate the world's leading journals, with quantifiable, statistical information based on citation data. By compiling articles’ cited references, the JCR helps to measure research influence and impact at the journal and category levels. The JCR also lists journals and their impact factors and rankings in the context of their specific fields. China Information presents timely and in-depth peer-reviewed analysis of major developments in contemporary China and overseas Chinese communities in the areas of politics, economics, law, ecology, culture, and society, including literature and the arts. The journal’s editor-in-chief is Prof Ngo Tak-Wing from UM’s Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS). Prof Ngo also holds the Extraordinary Chair Professorship in Asian History at Erasmus University Rotterdam and heads the International Institute for Asian Studies’ Centre for Regulation and Governance in the Netherlands. The International Journal of Biological Sciences publishes peer-reviewed scientific papers of significance in all areas of biological sciences, including cell biology, developmental biology, structural biology, microbiology, molecular biology and genetics, biochemistry, biotechnology, biodiversity, ecology, marine biology, plant biology, and bioinformatics. The journal’s editor-in-chief is Prof Chuxia Deng, who is currently the dean and a chair professor of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UM. Prof Deng is a leading scientist in the field of life sciences. He has made significant contributions to research on cancer and metabolic diseases, cancer and ageing, cancer stem cells, and the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA1, particularly in the pathogenic mechanism of breast cancer. Chinese Medicine is a journal published by the International Society for Chinese Medicine. Its editor-in-chief is Prof Wang Yitao, general secretary of the society, who is also the director and a chair professor of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) at UM. The journal’s editorial team is formed by young scholars from the ICMS. Thanks to the support of the Macao Foundation and international scholars in the field, the journal is now one of the most influential SCI-indexed English journals in Chinese medicine and alternative medicine, with an impact factor of 1.58. The journal’s areas of interest include the latest advances in herbal medicine, clinical nutrition, clinical diagnosis, acupuncture, pharmaceutics, biomedical sciences, epidemiology, education, informatics, sociology, and psychology that are relevant and significant to Chinese medicine. The journal is a credible channel for sharing unbiased scientific data, information, and knowledge in Chinese medicine among researchers, clinicians, academics, and students in Chinese medicine and other fields of medical sciences.
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The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) is paying close attention to the truck attack that took place in Nice, France, and maintaining close contact with the Macao travel industry for further developments. From information gathered through the Macao travel industry, currently there is no indication that Macao tour groups have been affected. Until the present moment, GGCT has not received any request for information or assistance. If necessary, Macao residents can call the 24-hour Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000.
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The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) hosted again on 14 July a workshop on crisis management in hospitality operations that was aimed at representatives of tourism and culture related government bodies from Portuguese-speaking countries. The workshop was part of the ongoing work by IFT to support the Macao SAR Government’s efforts to promote the city as a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. It was the second time IFT hosted a training workshop tailor-made for representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries. In June, the Institute conducted the first training workshop on tourism planning and development while a study tour to several tourism attractions in Macao to discuss the tourism planning strategies relevant to the attractions was arranged. The programme was headed by IFT Lecturers Grant O'Bree and Miguel Oliveira. The workshop was divided into 2 sessions. In the morning part, participants discussed the guiding principles of crisis management, rooms divisions and food and beverage operations; and related marketing, management of F&B operations. During the afternoon, the group and the lecturers conducted a study tour to Galaxy Macau integrated resort to inspect and discuss the respective room operations and F&B operations strategies relevant to the establishment. The 9-strong group was in Macao at the invitation of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) for this training opportunity. Delegates are civil servants in tourism and culture areas in Mozambique, Cape Verde, Republic of Angola, East Timor, and Republic of Guine-Bissau. Earlier on October 12, 2015, Macao SAR Government and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Macao. The objective was to enhance cooperation between the two parties in improving the quality of human capital and increasing the competitiveness of tourism destinations (particularly in the Asia Pacific Region) in order to achieve sustainable tourism development. The Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training, soon to be set up by the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Macao is tasked with the responsibility to organise training and education programmes, and other projects in collaboration with UNWTO, to achieve the objectives set out in the Memorandum. In the future, IFT hopes to continue providing training courses targeted to representatives of Portuguese-speaking countries, with the aim of enhancing exchanges and mutual learning between Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries in the field of tourism. Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in Macao, and about twenty thousand participants attend its vocational and professional training courses annually. IFT collaborates with 97 universities and tourism organisations around the world, and builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Being the first institution accredited by the UNWTO.TedQual Certification System for tourism education, IFT has now 7 bachelor degree programmes with the Certification. Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. IFT has received the Medal of Merit in Tourism from the Macao SAR Government, and won twice the Gold Award in ‘Education and Training’ from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
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