News

The Government is holding a series of events to share with all people in Macao the joy of the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). Highlights of the celebrations tomorrow (20 December), the day of the anniversary, include a flag raising ceremony at Golden Lotus Square at 8am. It will be shown live by the television service of TDM. There will also be a reception hosted by the Government, at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, at 9.30am. Several Government departments have events to commemorate the anniversary of the Macao SAR. The activities include a concert promoted by the Sports Bureau, at Macao Stadium, Taipa, at 2pm. Macao Post is offering to the public a commemorative postmarking service. It will be located at a temporary counter at Macao Post’s Senado Square headquarters in the city centre. The franking service is available from 9am to 5.30pm on Tuesday. In addition, at 9pm, the Macao Government Tourism Office will stage a fireworks display on the waterfront near Macau Tower. Another event coinciding with the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR is a special flower show called “Enchanting Blossoms in Woodland”, organised by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. It features more than 50,000 winter and festive blooms displayed at the Taipa Houses-Museum on Taipa. The show runs until 8 January, 2017.
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The Macao Orchestra (OM), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presented the two concerts “Journey into the World of Music - Peter and the Wolf” on 18 December, at 2:30pm and 5pm, respectively, at the Macao Tower Auditorium. Students from Escola Caritas de Macau and the Concordia School for Special Education accompanied by parents were invited for the concerts which also featured cartoon decorations and photo shooting activities, offering a lively and cheerful atmosphere. The concert series “Journey into the World of Music” is an educational series held by the Orchestra annually. This year, OM played the classical musical fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf” in collaboration with Platypus Theatre from Canada, whose humorous narrative accompanied by particular instruments, encouraged the imagination of both children and adults. The assistant conductor of the OM, Francis Kan, led this classic in a vivid way and interacted with the audience bringing joy and musical inspiration to children. Nearly 100 students from Escola Caritas de Macau and the Concordia School for Special Education were invited by OM to enjoy the concerts, sharing the happiness of music. Principals of both schools expressed their gratitude for OM’s arrangement and believed it was a rare opportunity for the students, hoping they were inspired by the music and learn from this exciting experience. The Macao Orchestra will visit a number of charitable organizations and elderly homes next month to share the warmth of the Chinese New Year with the elderly and vulnerable groups by holding New Year concerts. The event aims to promote trans-generational harmony and coexistence.
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The Macao Orchestra (OM), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presented the two concerts “Journey into the World of Music - Peter and the Wolf” on 18 December, at 2:30pm and 5pm, respectively, at the Macao Tower Auditorium. Students from Escola Caritas de Macau and the Concordia School for Special Education accompanied by parents were invited for the concerts which also featured cartoon decorations and photo shooting activities, offering a lively and cheerful atmosphere.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will be on his annual duty visit to Beijing from 21 to 24 December. During his duty visit in the capital, the Chief Executive will report to the state leaders on the work of the Government and the policy blueprint for next year. Officials accompanying Mr Chui on the duty visit will include: the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms O Lam; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; and the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng. While the Chief Executive is in Beijing, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Raimundo do Rosário, will be the acting Chief Executive.
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The Nomenclature for the External Trade of Macao/Harmonized System, 6th Revision (NCEM/HS, Rev.6), approved under Executive Order No. 67/2016, will come into effect from 1 January 2017. This revision is conducted in line with the recommendations of the World Customs Organization and with due consideration of the changes in merchandise imports and exports of Macao in recent years. The current revision incorporates separate identification of certain marine and agricultural products in accordance with the requirements of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and new subheadings for specific chemical substances of ecological concern in conformity to the relevant regulations of imports and exports of chemicals under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention and the International Narcotics Control Board. With the implementation of NCEM/HS Rev.6, import and export declarations and licenses must be completed in accordance with the new commodity codes. To facilitate smooth adoption of NCEM/HS Rev.6, the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has introduced a series of measures to assist import/export operators:  Dedicated webpage. Users may visit the DSEC website (www.dsec.gov.mo) to download the entire document or individual chapters of NCEM/HS Rev.6, as well as correlation tables between the old and the new versions. Besides, users may use the commodity codes of NCEM/HS Rev.5 to search for the corresponding codes of NCEM/HS Rev.6.  Enquiry hotlines. Import/export operators may call the hotlines at 28314738, 28314650 and 28314710 during office hours to enquire about commodity codes. The hotlines remain open during lunch hour.  Enquiry email. Should there be difficulty in finding a commodity code, please email to hs@dsec.gov.mo for assistance.  DSEC will contact the import/export operators to explain the main contents of this revision and to provide them with the new commodity codes that they frequently used. Printed copies, correlation tables and CD-ROM of NCEM/HS Rev.6 are available free of charge to import/export operators and data users. To obtain copies of the materials, please call the above-mentioned enquiry hotlines or visit the Documentation and Information Centre of DSEC at Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, No. 411-417, Dynasty Plaza, 17th floor during office hours.
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The Nomenclature for the External Trade of Macao/Harmonized System, 6th Revision (NCEM/HS, Rev.6), approved under Executive Order No. 67/2016, will come into effect from 1 January 2017. This revision is conducted in line with the recommendations of the World Customs Organization and with due consideration of the changes in merchandise imports and exports of Macao in recent years. The current revision incorporates separate identification of certain marine and agricultural products in accordance with the requirements of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and new subheadings for specific chemical substances of ecological concern in conformity to the relevant regulations of imports and exports of chemicals under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention and the International Narcotics Control Board.
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Jointly organised by the Macao Museum of Art (MAM) under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Palace Museum, the Macao Foundation, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Macao Daily News, the exhibition “Flower Vessels from the Palace Museum” marks the 18th cooperation between the Macao Museum of Arts and the Palace Museum. Over 100 sets of precious vessels from the Palace Museum closely related to life and the arts are displayed in this exhibition. In addition, authentic paintings are exhibited corresponding to the vessels. These paintings demonstrate the usage, styles and taste of various precious vessels from the Palace and the elegance of flowers in the Qing Dynasty. The exhibition was inaugurated on Friday, 16 December at 6:30pm, on the 4th floor of the Macao Museum of Art. The opening ceremony was officiated by the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Ung Vai Meng; the Representative of the Palace Museum and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Palace Museum Publishing House, Liu Hui; 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 S.A.R., Shao Bin; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the Director of Macao Daily News, Lok Po; and the member of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Foundation, Au Weng Chi. The art of Chinese flower arrangement has a long history. The oldest flower vases known are from the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern dynasties (220-589), later developing through the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The use and style of Qing imperial vessels assimilate the essence of the ancient and modern. Not only do the Qing imperial vessels preserve the tradition of religious offering and retain the Chinese intellectuals’ elegant taste but they also develop their own refined characteristics. This exhibition features the history of the development of flower vessels. Visitors can appreciate all kinds of flower vessels from different perspectives while understanding the flower arrangement taste of emperors and empresses such as Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi. This exhibition is divided into three units with six themes, including (1) Functions: “Offering Sacrifice with Fragrant Flowers” and “Leisure Time Enjoyment” in which vessels for planting flowers used in Buddhist ceremonies and ancestors worshiping, and those used for enjoyment in libraries, boudoirs, sitting rooms and yards, among others, are displayed; (2) Styles: “Flower Arrangement and Potted Landscapes” and “Appreciation of Antiquities and Pursuit of Innovation”, in which vessels of different textures for flower arrangement and potted landscapes, and relics used in the Qing imperial palace are displayed; (3) Tastes: “The Great Emperor Qianlong” and “The Elegant Empress Dowager Cixi”, in which calligraphies and paintings by Emperor Qianlong and Empress Cixi, including poems in praise of flower vessels made by imperial order and flower vessels used in the “Da Ya Zhai” (Elegant Studio) and the “Ti He Dian” (Hall of State Harmony) are displayed. This exhibition also displays the corresponding paintings, drawings, and original display images to embody the strict production regulations of imperial vessels, in order to enhance the experience of exhibition-goers. Highlights include the “Scroll of the Life Scenes of Emperor Yongzheng’s Imperial Concubines, Standing in Front of the Mirror Wearing Elegant Clothes” in which a glazed and splendid flower pot, pot saucer and a hand-warmer are portrayed to reveal the combination of flower arrangement (planted), incense and makeup tools in the boudoir, accentuating the aesthetics of the dignified and graceful taste of imperial objects. In the form of lying cattle, the “Shiwan Kiln Moon-White-Glazed Flower Pot in the Shape of a Lying Cattle” showcases how Shiwan kilns incorporated decorative arts with the functions of the objects, by modifying the shape of human, animals, plants and others in order for them to function as practical containers. The “Qianlong Style Enamelled Square Gu Vase with Windowed Patterns of Western Figures” manifests the diversity of the embellishment of craftworks produced in the reign of Qianlong, which extraordinarily features the use of techniques and themes of Western paintings. Not only does it make the works more interesting and ravishing, but it testifies to Western influence in the East. The “Daya Zhai Style Rectangular Flower Pot with Plum Blossom and Paradise Flycatcher Motifs in Chinese Painting on Green Background”, featuring white glaze on its interior surface and bottom, and a scenic illusion painting of plum blossoms and paradise flycatchers with green background on its exterior. The Palace Museum has collected a drawing of this flower pot – a Chinese realistic colour painting. In order to allow the public to experience the exhibition from various perspectives, MAM will organize a series of activities including talks conducted by specialists from the Palace Museum, a demonstration and a workshop of literati flower arrangements, docent services, a mini Chinese music concert, games with prizes, among others. The three talks are “Flower Vessels from the Palace Museum” conducted by Han Gian, Associate Researcher of the Department of Antiquities at the Palace Museum, to be held on 17 December 2016, from 3:00pm to 5:30pm; the “Wall vases from the Qing Court and Others” conducted by Gao Xiaoran, Associate Researcher at the Palace Museum, on 14 January 2017, from 3pm to 5:30pm; and “Craft potted plants in the Qing court”, conducted by Liu Yue, Associate Researcher at the Palace Museum on 15 January 2017, from 3pm to 5:30pm. Registration can be made online or by phone during office hours. Admission is free. In the demonstration and workshop of literati flower arrangements, MAM will introduce the elegant taste and development of literati flower arrangements, enhancing their understanding of how the artistic and practical values of flower vessels coexist in real life. Docent services will be available from 3pm to 4pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 7 January 2017. Prizes including MacBook and iPads will be awarded to the winners of the games to be launched next year. Furthermore, MAM will establish outdoor installations introducing the exhibition to the public at Barra Square, Jorge Álvares Square (Nam Van), St. Dominic's Square, Park of Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção and Tap Siac Square. For details and registration methods of the aforementioned events, please visit www.MAM.gov.mo. For enquiries, please call 8791 9814 during office hours. The exhibition “Flower Vessels from the Palace Museum” is held until 12 March 2017, on the 4th floor of MAM, located at Avenida Xian Xing Hai, NAPE, Macao. The Museum is open from 10am to 7pm (no admission after 6:30pm; closed on Mondays).
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ in December on 16 December 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), ‘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. 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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The press conference of “Macao Motor Vehicles entering and leaving Hengqin New Area” was held in Hengqin, Zhuhai today, and the related arrangements were announced. In accordance with Mainland's law, cross-border motor vehicles must be covered by "Motor Vehicle Traffic Accident Liability Insurance" before entering the Hengqin New Area. Under the co-ordination and promotion by the Monetary Authority of Macao and according to the cooperation agreement between the relevant insurance companies in Guangdong and Macao to provide cross-border motor vehicle insurance services, the Macao single-plate car owners can purchase the said insurance through local insurance companies. At present, local insurance companies that have set up co-operative arrangements with Mainland insurance companies are China Taiping Insurance (Macau) Company Limited and Asia Insurance Company Limited.
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The second review of the “2016 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making” held by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) was completed and a total of eight entrants were selected as eligible candidates of the Programme. IC will grant each eligible candidate (individual or team) a subsidy of up to MOP160,000 for sample making and the production of promotional materials. In order to promote the sustainable development of the fashion design industry in Macao, IC launched the “Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making” in 2013. This year, a total of 24 applications were received, including 19 individual and 5 team applications. Following the initial and second reviews, the adjudicating panel selected eight eligible candidates: (in arbitrary order) Tam Chi Kit, Wai Chin Seong, Lo Ka Heng and Choi Wai Leng (team), Cheang Chi Tat, Peng Yun, Leong Man Teng, Wong Man Chon and Lao Ka Weng. 40% of the applicants were new applicants, revealing that the programme has continued to attract the participation of new applicants. In addition, over 50% of applicants have registered trademarks for their brands, showing an increasing awareness of local fashion designers about brand protection. The adjudicating panel comprised relevant professionals from Macao and Hong Kong covering various fields such as fashion design, retail, production and training. Members included the President of the Rainbow Group, Terry Sio Un I; the Senior Manager of the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre, Victoria Kuan Chi Ping; the member of the Committee of Cultural Industries of Macao and Vice President of the Industrial Association of Macau, José Tang Kuan Meng; the Hong Kong famous fashion designer, Walter Ma; and the consultant of the Macao Fashion Gallery, Raymond Au. Some of the adjudicators who have participated in the selection works last year remarked that the overall standard of the applications has been progressing and the marketing plans have shown improvement. They added that some participants who have applied for the programme last year have experienced breakthroughs and developed their own fashion brands after countless trials and experience, and the outcome is encouraging. For enquiries about the results of the Programme, please call Ms. Lam, staff member of IC, through tel. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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