News

Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) and co-organised by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), the second edition of the “Tap Siac Craft Market” of this year will be held from 17 to 20 November (Thursday to Sunday) at Tap Siac Square, featuring a total of 24 handicraft workshops. Interested parties are welcome to register for the workshops from today through IC’s website Activity Registration System . The fee for each workshop is MOP50. The workshops at Tap Siac Craft Market comprise a variety of courses, namely, “Simple Long Clip”, “Baby Hugs Bear”, “Pure Silver Pendant”, “Leather Notebook”, “Pure Silver Earrings”, “Preserved Flower Nightlight”, “Children’s Story—Caterpillar’s Magical Flying Machine (Kite-making)”, “Pressed Flower Music Box”, “Woollen Chicken”, “Handmade Luna Lamp”, “Pure Silver and Natural Stone Ring”, “Handmade Accordion Book”, “Embroidering x Watercolour Fabric Necklace”, “Baby Hugs Bunny”, “Making Card Holder/Wallet with Milk Carton”, “Natural and Artistic Handmade Soap”, “Dream -catcher”, “3D Wool Fibre Painting”, “Hand-stitching Sewn Binding for Christmas Notebook”, “From Paper to Book—A Storybook in Your House”, “Christmas Preserved Flower Wreath”, among others. Workshop instructors are the booth operators as well as cultural and creative professionals from Macao, Guangzhou, Malaysia and Singapore. Residents and tourists may join the activities and experience the fun of handicrafts making. For more information about the dates and content of the workshops, please check IC’s website Activity Registration System (www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event). Online registration is available from today until Thursday, 10 November, 5pm. Successful applicants will be selected by drawing lots and will be notified by SMS for paying the registration fees at designated IC libraries in a specific period of time. On-site registration and payment will also be available, subject to availability. For more information about the Craft Market, please visit the Cultural Affairs Bureau website (www.icm.gov.mo), the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com), or the “Tap Siac Craft Market” page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MacaoCraftMarket). For enquiries, please contact Ms. Wong, staff member of IC, through tel. no. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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The Macao Orchestra, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will present the concert “Journey into the World of Music - Peter and the Wolf” on Sunday, 18 December, at 2:30pm, at the Macao Tower Auditorium. In this concert, the Macao Orchestra plays the classical music fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf” in collaboration with Platypus Theatre from Canada, whose humorous narrative and choreography, accompanied by particular instruments, will surely encourage the imagination of both children and adults. The concert is suitable for children aged three or above, and tickets are now available at Macau Ticketing Network. The work “Peter and the Wolf”, written by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, is one of the most popular classical music works for children to cultivate their musical taste. Each character in the story is represented by a different instrument, for children to learn more about musical instruments in an interesting manner. Moreover, the famous Platypus Theatre from Canada was specially invited to perform live in the concert, drawing the audience into the story while bringing joy and musical inspiration to children. The assistant conductor of the OM, Francis Kan, will lead this classic in a vivid way and interact with the audience, allowing the families to have a pleasant afternoon. Tickets for the concert “Journey into the World of Music - Peter and the Wolf” are priced at MOP120, and the event will be conducted in Cantonese and English. Ticketing hotline: (853)2855 5555. For details of OM’s concert seasonprogramme, please visit Macao Orchestra’s webpage www.icm.gov.mo/om or follow its official WeChat account “Macao Orchestra”.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 2.5% quarter-to-quarter to MOP768 in the third quarter of 2016, due to reduction in overtime following the completion of large-scale entertainment construction projects in Cotai. The average daily wage of local construction workers (MOP961) dropped by 2.1% quarter-to-quarter, while that of non-resident construction workers (MOP687) rose by 2.2%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP773, down by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter. Among them, the average daily wages of structural iron erectors (MOP790), painters (MOP719), bricklayers & plasterers (MOP651) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP820) decreased by 12.0%, 10.8%, 10.6% and 7.8% respectively, while the wages of air-conditioning mechanics (MOP849) and carpenters (MOP1,142) increased by 3.2% and 2.9%. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP403, up by 2.5%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (100.0) for the third quarter of 2016 decreased by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (125.1) dropped by 1.7%. As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete fell by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter to MOP797 per cubic metre in the third quarter of 2016; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars edged down by 0.2% to MOP4,410 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings was 131.9 in the third quarter of 2016, down by 1.1% quarter-to-quarter.
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To celebrate the Macao – Foshan Joint Stamp Exhibition, Macao Post announces that a Temporary Post Counter will be set up at the Gallery of Macau University of Science and Technology at 10:00 to 17:00 on 5th November 2016 providing the commemorative postmark cancellation service for the “Macao – Foshan Joint Stamp Exhibition”. A commemorative envelope will be distributed to public, and various philatelic products will also be available for sale during the above activity. Welcome to visit and collect Macao Stamps.
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The ‘Phenix Coder’ Team, composed of scholars from the University of Macau (UM), Southeast University, and the University of Massachusetts, won an excellence award at GeekPwn 2016 held in Shanghai. In addition to developing a way to break internet encryption technologies, which they hope can serve as a wake-up call to manufacturers of smart devices, the team also developed anti-hacking technologies. The related paper is expected to be published soon.
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On the occasion of the 30th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF), the Macao S.A.R. Government invited the consuls of various countries accredited to Hong Kong and Macao to participate in a tour organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) on 30 October. The delegation visited Anim’Arte NAM VAN and the Taipa Houses-Museum. Later the delegation attended the MIMF’s closing performance “Chaplin Once More!”. This cultural visit allowed the consuls to experience the charm of Macao’s cultural tourism. The consular corps was accompanied by the Vice-President of IC, Leung Hio Ming; the Chief of the Department of Cultural Events of IC, Kent Ieong Chi Kin; and the Chief of the Department for the Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries, Ho Ka Weng. The consular corps firstly arrived at the Anim’Arte NAM VAN, jointly managed by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Institute for Tourism Studies, comprising pedal boats, specialized dining, cultural and creative shops, a craft market, exhibitions and performances to provide diverse tourism services and experiences, thereby enhancing Macao’s cultural tourism products offering. Under the guidance of the IC representatives, the consular corps visited Anim’Arte NAM VAN, the cultural and creative shops, the Smiling Workshop, the Preference Book Station and the Lakeside Gallery, the current exhibition entitled “Walk and See—Youth Artist Art Exhibition” and “Sylviye’s Thermae” as well as a “Glass Beads Ornaments Workshop” hosted by the Macau Handcraft and Creative People Association. The consular corps actively participated in the workshop and enjoyed in the production process, showing the success of the tour in showcasing the development of Macao’s cultural and creative industries. The delegation subsequently participated in the “19th Lusofonia Festival” to experience the Portuguese speaking countries customs and feel the Festival’s cheerful atmosphere. They also visited three buildings of the Taipa Houses-Museum, which are used for exhibitions and opened to the public in October after undergoing restoration. By preserving the original characteristics of the buildings, the Government further integrated the five buildings, creating a multicultural leisure area and building a platform for showcasing the culture of the Portuguese-speaking countries and international cultural exchange. In the evening, the delegation enjoyed a video commemorating the 30th anniversary of the MIMF and the closing performance “Chaplin Once More!” at the Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção Park, where the Macao Orchestra presented a live performance of the music of Charlie Chaplin’s film “City Lights”. The performance had an enthusiastic response and concluded to the Pearl Jubilee of MIMF successfully.
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The seminar on “Countering Drug Trafficking and Drug Addiction” integrated as part of the 3rd Macao Special Administrative Region - EU Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, will take place on November 7th to 10th, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, in the auditorium of the Civil Service Training Centre located on Alameda Dr. Carlos D’ Assumpção n.° 322-362, Cheng Feng Commercial Centre, 7th floor. This event is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre. This activity will feature as its guest speakers Mr. Antoine Michel R. VERACHTERT, Seconded Officer of Transnational Organized Crime of Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe and Chief Commissioner of Belgian Federal Judicial Police and Mr. Robert TELTZROW, Principal Project Consultant of Health and Rehabilitation of Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe. The seminar will be conducted in English with simultaneous translation into Cantonese and Portuguese. This training initiative is set out into four modules: 1. 2016/11/07: a. Introduction - European and national drug policy institutions - Pompidou group, EMCDDA, national and international drug agencies; b. Introduction to drug trends, drug use patterns and drug problems; c. General overview of drug trafficking in Europe and the law enforcement response. 2. 2016/11/08: a. Drug policy fields. Harm reductions, treatment, prevention and law enforcement; b. Goals of drug policy - The balanced approach - human rights, public health and rule of law; c. Examples of successful interventions: Drug trafficking by air in Europe. Threats, trends, challenges and best practices. Priorities for Law enforcement to an effective policy. 3. 2016/11/09: a. Criminal justice responses to drug use and trafficking; b. Excurse drugs in prison; c. Alternatives to punishment; d. Precursor chemicals and new psychoactive substances; e. Trends, drug markets, cooperation with the industry, NPS legislation and counterfeit medicines. 4. 2016/11/10: a. Cross cutting issues: Vulnerable groups & mental health; b. The way ahead: risks and opportunities; c. Drugs and cybercrime. The emerging trend of drug sales on line. Darknet investigations, cooperation with the Internet providers, postal services and express mail companies. The 3rd Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the Macao Special Administrative Region and the European Union, which incorporates this seminar, has as its main objective “Promote the Development and Modernisation of the Macao Special Administrative Region’s Legal System” and is going to take place until November 2019. The execution of the Co-operation Programme is coordinated by the Legal Affairs Bureau, together with many entities and public departments of the Macao Special Administrative Region, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Institute of European Studies of Macau, the Economic Services, the Consumer Council and the Social Welfare Bureau.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that new registration of motor vehicles decreased by 40.1% year-on-year to 979 in September 2016. In the first three quarters of 2016, new registration of motor vehicles dropped by 31.7% year-on-year to 10,078, with that of motorcycles (5,785) and light automobiles (3,785) falling by 25.3% and 41.9% respectively. Total number of licensed motor vehicles reached 249,013 at the end of September, up by 1.2% year-on-year; motorcycles and light automobiles accounted for 52.3% and 44.6% of the respective total. There were 1,119 traffic accident cases in September and number of casualties totalled 328. In the first three quarters of 2016, number of traffic accidents decreased by 6.4% year-on-year to 11,000 cases, resulting in 3,346 casualties and 8 of them were killed. Cross-border vehicle traffic totalled 413,763 trips in September 2016, down by 1.0% year-on-year. In the first three quarters of 2016, cross-border vehicle traffic rose slightly by 0.7% year-on-year to 3,846,929 trips, of which vehicle traffic through the Border Gate took up 76.8%. Passenger ferry movements between Macao and Mainland China and between Macao and Hong Kong decreased by 3.8% year-on-year to 11,496 trips in September, while movements in the first three quarters (102,930 trips) dropped by 6.1%. Commercial flight movements at the Macao International Airport totalled 4,124 in September 2016, down slightly by 0.2% year-on-year. In the first three quarters of 2016, commercial flight movements increased by 5.4% year-on-year to 40,778 trips; flight movements to and from Thailand and Taiwan rose by 14.5% and 13.7% respectively, while movements to and from Mainland China dropped by 4.6%. Helicopter flight movements between Macao and Mainland China and between Macao and Hong Kong decreased by 10.1% year-on-year to 1,082 trips in September, and movements in the first three quarters (8,017 trips) fell by 24.0%. Gross weight of seaborne containerized cargo dropped by 49.0% year-on-year to 12,822 tonnes in September 2016. Seaborne container throughput totalled 10,916 TEU, equivalent to 7,537 containers handled, down by 10.8% and 8.6% respectively year-on-year. In the first three quarters of 2016, gross weight of seaborne containerized cargo decreased by 32.6% year-on-year to 134,309 tonnes, of which 50.9% passed through Inner Harbour (68,300 tonnes); seaborne container throughput (95,765 TEU) and containers handled (65,764) fell by 14.8% and 13.3% respectively. Gross weight of containerized cargo by land decreased by 52.9% year-on-year to 1,239 tonnes in September. In the first three quarters of 2016, gross weight of containerized cargo by land dropped by 2.8% year-on-year to 17,608 tonnes, of which cargo through the Checkpoint of Cotai (15,357 tonnes) accounted for 87.2%. The Macao International Airport handled 2,674 tonnes of air cargo in September 2016, rose by 1.1% year-on-year. In the first three quarters of 2016, inward air cargo (4,691 tonnes) decreased by 13.4% year-on-year while outward air cargo (13,339 tonnes) increased by 17.3%; inward air cargo from Taiwan (56.5% of total) dropped by 19.8% whereas outward air cargo to Taiwan (46.8% of total) went up by 30.3%. Transit air cargo (4,770 tonnes) rose by 3.4% year-on-year in the first three quarters. At the end of September 2016, number of fixed-line telephone subscribers decreased by 7.3% year-on-year to 137,463. Number of mobile telephone subscribers rose by 4.4% to 1,895,968, of which stored-value GSM card subscribers (1,199,678) accounted for 63.3%. Number of internet subscribers increased by 9.6% year-on-year to 357,105. In the first three quarters of 2016, the cumulative duration of fixed broadbard internet usage grew by 10.7% year-on-year to 870 million hours.
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In the first half-year of 2016, a total of 176 initial applications for temporary residency for managerial personnel, technical and professional qualification holders were received by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) (a decrease of 60 compared with the same period last year), 14 initial applications for major investment / investment plans (a decrease of 24 compared with the same period last year), representing 92.63% and 7.37% of the total of 190 initial applications in the first half-year of 2016. Approved cases for managerial personnel, technical and professional qualification holders amounted to 46 (an increase of 23 compared with the same period last year), approved applications for major investment / investment plans totalled 1 (a decrease of 5 compared with the same period last year). * Attachment For further enquiries on the residency application guidelines, please contact IPIM by visiting the website: www.ipim.gov.mo, email: gjfr@ipim.gov.mo, tel: 28712055 or fax: 28713950. Applicants may also visit the website and enquire about the progress of their residency application status online.
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The 2017 Macao-Guangzhou Fine Products Fair, co-organised by IPIM and Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Commerce, will be held from 6 to 8 January 2017 at the Poly World Trade Centre in Guangzhou. This event plays a very important role in Guangzhou-Macao trade and economic co-operation. The 2017 Macao-Guangzhou Fine Products Fair will cover a wide range of products and service including MinM, Macao souvenirs, cultural and creative products, consumer goods, food products, wine, products from Portuguese-speaking countries, commerce of cross-border e-commerce as well as other merchandise. During the fair, fine products from Macao and Guangzhou will be showcased and sold to residents of and visitors to Guangzhou. There will also be diverse activities, including business matching sessions, product procurement and promotional events for Macao and Guangzhou companies during the fair, which will serve as a platform for companies from Macao and Guangzhou to network and co-operate, thereby promoting economic and trade ties between the two places. In order to encourage companies from Macao to participate in the exhibition, IPIM is providing an incentive programme for companies from Macao. The incentives cover a standard booth, accommodation, transportation, round-trip freight transportation, storage area and temporary staff. Eligible enterprises only need to pay a participation fee of MOP$2,000.00 for a booth or MOP$1, 800.00 for raw space. The scope of exhibits will include: products manufactured in Macao, Macao brands and overseas products with an agent in Macao (priority will be given to products from Portuguese-speaking countries). All Macao enterprises are welcome to participate in the event and explore new business opportunities. Local companies interested in participating may obtain an application form from IPIM, located on Avenida da Amizade, 918, World Trade Centre Building, 4th Floor, Macao or Alameda Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção, 263, China Civil Plaza Building, 19th floor, Macao during office hours until 10 November. As the number of booths is limited, applications will be processed on a first-come first-served basis with the organisers reserving the right of final decision. Registration and enquiry hotline: 8798 9267 / 8798 9274.
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