News

The Government respects the rights of those that joined a demonstration held on Sunday (4 September), in order to express – in a legal and reasonable manner – views regarding transportation services offered via a mobile communications application. The Government noted however that such passenger transportation services were unlicensed and were deemed illegal for operation in Macao. Some of the opinions expressed during the demonstration did not appear to take account of Macao’s existing legislation on passenger transportation services. In addition, this type of car hailing service – via mobile application – had already been deemed as either unauthorised or illegal in several places around the world, including in some European countries and some states in the United States of America. In some cases fines had been imposed on such service operators by various authorities. While the authorities in some places and some countries had accepted this type of car hailing service, typically a set of strict regulations were applied to service operators. Passenger transportation services could not be operated in Macao without proper regulation by the competent authorities. The Government also noted that Macao had its own rules regarding the business and operational models for transportation services; and these did not necessarily equate to rules in other places. The Public Security Police Force and the Transport Bureau – the authorities responsible for supervising Macao’s transportation services – had no comment regarding news reports and rumours about the withdrawal of a private car hailing service offered by a company based outside Macao. The Public Security Police Force and the Transport Bureau would step up enforcement action against any unlicensed transportation services in the city, in order properly to protect the rights of local residents and visitors. The Government had previously announced it would issue a total of 100 special licences for taxi services; including for vehicles that can be ordered either online or via telephone. It was part of the Government’s efforts to regulate public transportation services and to protect properly the rights and safety of passengers.
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Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the exhibition “Innovative Inspiration – Painting of Mak Kuong Weng Winner of the Best Creation Special Prize of the XXXI Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists” will be inaugurated on Friday, 9th September, at 6pm, at the Chun Chou Tong Pavilion of Lou Lim Ioc Garden, featuring 39 works by Mak Kuong Weng. Mak Kuong Weng has won the Best Creation Special Prize of the “Collective Exhibition of Macau Artists” on four occasions. His upcoming solo exhibition comprises two series, namely the “China landscape” and the “Ink kingdom”, showcasing ink painting in a unique style. The “China landscape” series underline the rhythm and stereoscopic perception of Chinese landscape painting while incorporating modern expression of art. On the other hand, the “Ink kingdom”, inspired by the rhythm of traditional Chinese calligraphy, runs after the spiritual imagery of arts via abstract techniques. The exhibition “Innovative Inspiration – Painting of Mak Kuong Weng Winner of the Best Creation Special Prize of the XXXI Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists” will be open from 10th September to 16th October at the Chun Chou Tong Pavilion of Lou Lim Ioc Garden, located at No. 10, Estrada de Adolfo Loureiro, Macao, and is open daily from 9am to 7pm, including on public holidays. Admission is free. For enquiries about the exhibition, please call IC through tel. no. through 8988 4100, during office hours.
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The XXXII Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, was inaugurated on 2nd September, at 6:00pm, at the IACM Temporary Exhibitions Gallery, featuring 56 selected and awarded works. The opening ceremony was officiated by the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng; the Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao S.A.R., Zhao Chuandong; the Director of the School of Arts of the Macao Polytechnic Institute, Hsu Hsiu-Chu; the Director of the Affiliated School of the University of Macau, Lou Lan Heng; Director of Hou Kong Middle School, Iao Tun Ieong; and the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Macao Daily News, Lio Chi Heng. The XXXII Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists is divided into three categories, namely Chinese Painting, Western Painting and Chinese Calligraphy, with a total of 260 works received. Assessment by the six juries was held in July and a total of 56 works were selected and awarded, including 19 Chinese paintings, 19 Western paintings and 18 Chinese calligraphy works. Lam Wun Keng was awarded the “Best Creation Special Prize” as well as the “Best Work - Western Painting” for her triptych on the Mandarin’s House, Rua dos Ervanários and Estoril Hotel titled “1. Mandarin's House inside the windows, the ‘Golden Age Prophecy’ Outside the windows; 2. Behind Rua dos Ervanarios, life remains the same; 3. Estoril, who are you?”, conveying the artist’s expectations about Macao’s old buildings and way of life. Tam Chon Kit participates in the XXXII Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists every year and is highly active in Macao’s artistic circles; this time he conquered the “Award for Best Work - Chinese Painting” with his work “Private talks at Lou Lim Ieoc Garden”; “Fantasy” by Leong Lampo, Professor at the University of Missouri in Columbia, was awarded “Best Work - Chinese Calligraphy Prize”. By using 2 simple Chinese characters in the name of the artwork, he brings out the contracts and rhythm which express the limits of fantasy and in pursuit of the strong and broad spiritual sense of Laozi’s and Zhuangzi’s philosophies .In addition, with the “New Talent Prizes” in each category the Organizer hopes to encourage young artists to pursue their creative vein. This year, two young artists were awarded the “New Talent Prize” in the Chinese Calligraphy category for the first time, wherefore a total of four artists were awarded in the three categories, namely Chan Chong Hei in the category of Chinese Painting, Chan In Iong in the category of Western Painting, and Un Ka Ian and Guan Seng Lok, both in the Chinese Calligraphy category. The XXXII Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists is held from 3rd September to 30th October at the IACM Temporary Exhibitions Gallery, located at No. 163, Av. Almeida Ribeiro, Macao, and is open daily from 9:00am to 9:00pm, including public holidays. Admission is free. For enquiries about guided tours and the exhibition, please call IC through tel. no. through 8988 4100, during office hours.
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The Government was pleased to see the growth in Macao’s casino gross gaming revenue had entered positive territory in August; following a narrowing in year-on-year monthly declines – a trend that began in the first quarter of 2016 – noted the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac. August casino gaming revenue totalled 18.836 billion patacas, representing a 1.1 percent year-on-year growth for that month. Mr Leong note that data from previous years had shown September casino gaming revenue was typically lower in aggregate terms than that for August: historically the contraction amount had been in the range of 1.5 billion patacas to 3.5 billion patacas. The Government would closely monitor September casino gaming revenue, in order to make a scientific analysis of the sector, Mr Leong told reporters in comments on Saturday (3 September). In addition, the Secretary said the Government had authorised the Parisian Macao integrated resort on Cotai to operate a total of 150 new-to-market live-dealer gaming tables and a total of 1,600 electronic gaming machines. The new tables – all for the mass market – would be allocated in batches: a first batch of 100 gaming tables would be made available to the resort for its scheduled opening in mid-September. The remaining 50 new-to-market gaming tables would become available in two separate phases: 25 tables on 1 January 2017; and the remaining 25 tables on 1 January 2018, said Mr Leong. The Government would take into consideration the following criteria when reviewing applications for new-to-market gaming tables: whether a new project would contribute to the transformation of Macao to a world centre of tourism and leisure; and whether the project would help Macao enhance its overall competitiveness internationally. Mr Leong stated that – when assessing applications for gaming tables – the Government would strictly follow the principle of allowing a compound annual growth rate in new-to-market tables of no more than 3 percent over a 10-year period, from 1 January 2013.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, money supply continued to grow in July. As total loans decreased at a faster pace than total deposits, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector dropped slightly from a month earlier. Concurrently, the non-performing loan ratio, an indicator for bank asset quality, kept virtually stable. Money supply Currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 3.2% and 3.6% respectively. M1 thus increased 3.5% from one month earlier. Meanwhile, quasi-monetary liabilities rose 2.5%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, increased 2.6% to MOP491.3 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 grew 7.6% and 1.2% respectively. The shares of Pataca (MOP), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Chinese Yuan (CNY) and United States Dollar (USD) in M2 were 30.7%, 52.0%, 6.1% and 8.8% respectively. Deposits Resident deposits increased 2.6% from the preceding month to MOP478.0 billion while non-resident deposits dropped 5.8% to MOP275.6 billion. Concurrently, public sector deposits with the banking sector increased 1.5% to MOP157.0 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector decreased 0.3% from a month earlier to MOP910.7 billion. The shares of MOP, HKD, CNY and USD in total deposits were 20.9%, 47.4%, 8.7% and 20.2% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector decreased 0.3% from a month ago to MOP402.0 billion. Among which, MOP117.9 billion was MOP-denominated, MOP260.8 billion was denominated in HKD, MOP2.3 billion was denominated in CNY and MOP18.2 billion was denominated in USD, representing 29.3%, 64.9%, 0.6% and 4.5% of the total respectively. External loans dropped 0.5% to MOP369.1 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP, HKD, CNY and USD accounted for 2.0% (MOP7.5 billion), 26.8% (MOP98.8 billion), 13.8% (MOP51.1 billion) and 50.7% (MOP187.2 billion) respectively. Operating ratios At end-July, the loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector shrank 1.7 percentage points from the previous month to 63.3%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors dropped 0.1 percentage point to 84.7%. The one-month and three-month current assets to liabilities ratios stayed at relatively high levels of 59.2% and 57.8% respectively. Furthermore, the non-performing loan ratio was 0.2%, virtually unchanged from one month earlier but up slightly by 0.1 percentage point from one year ago.
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The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, kicks off its 2016-17 Concert Season with the opening concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra”. The opening ceremony was held on 3 September, at 7:40pm, at the lobby of the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, and was officiated by the Counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao S.A.R., Qiu Weiwei; the President of the Chinese Musicians Association, Ye Xiaogang; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Leung Hio Ming; the Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Chen Ge; the Head of the Department of Cultural Events of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Kent Ieong Chi Kin; and the Music Director and Principal Conductor of Macao Orchestra, Lü Jia. Through the concert season themed ‘My Time with Music’, a number of promising talents of classical music and exceptional music masters will be invited to present high quality classical concerts. In the opening concert, under the baton of the Music Director of the Macao Orchestra, Yulianna Avdeeva, first prize winner of the Chopin International Competition, will play two piano concertos by Chopin and Mendelssohn, as well as the ultimate work of the romantic period of classical music, Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major. This edition of the Concert Season also features the “Music hours” outreach programme, allowing music fans to get close to a number of prominent musicians. Excellent programme “Music Hour With Yulianna Avdeeva”, held on 2 September, attracted a lot of music fans coming to see the style of musicians. Macao Orchestra’s 2016-2017 Concert Season Programme can be obtained at Macao Ticketing retail shops for free. The electronic version can be downloaded at www.icm.gov.mo/om. For details and enquiry for programmes, please call 2853 0782 during office hours. In addition, holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card are offered 30% discount for ‘Starry Vienna – New Year Concert’ and ‘2016-2017 Season Closing Concert –Eine florentinische Tragödie’. Ticketing Hotline: 2855 5555.
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The 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest officially kicked off tonight (3 September) with the first round of spectacular fireworks presented by the Thailand and Portuguese teams. Jointly organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Fireworks Carnival 2016 is also held every fireworks evening. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, officiated the opening ceremony of the Carnival this evening. Other officiating guests include MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Assistant of the Department of Social Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Lu Yanhui and President of General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, Ng Siu Lai, and Vice President of General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau and Director of Event Organizing Committee of the General Union, Lei Cheok Kuan. The 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest is held above the sea in front of Macau Tower on 3rd, 10th, 15th, 24th September and 1st October. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 15th September, whereas on 1st October, the team from China will culminate the Contest with their fireworks display in celebration of the National Day together with all the residents in town. The Contest has pit a range of globally-acclaimed pyrotechnic companies against each other over the past editions, and without exception, features a strong line-up of competitors this year. A total of ten teams came from different countries as follows (in order of appearance in the Contest): Thailand, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Italy, Canada, Romania and China. This is the first time for the Contest to feature a team from Romania, while the Canadian company is also making its debut in Macao. The first fireworks display starts at 9 p.m. each night, followed by the second display at 9:40 p.m. Themed nights of dazzling fireworks For the first time in the Contest, the fireworks displays are designed to bring out a special theme each of the five scheduled evenings. The themes include “Pyro Fantasia”, “Tribute to Bond”, “Mid-Autumn Harmony”, “Stars from afar” and “Celebration in the Sky”. Same as before, every fireworks display is choreographed to both music and laser light projections in the way that not only brings out its theme but also enhances the effect and level of its pyrotechnic extravaganza. Spectators can enjoy the live broadcast of the fireworks displays on TDM – Macao TV Channel with background music streaming from TDM - Radio Macao’s Chinese Channel (FM 100.7) as well each fireworks evening. Colorful side activities at lakeshore MGTO is dedicated to creating a greater synergy and enriching the content of mega events through interdepartmental efforts as well as collaboration with the private sector and local organizations so that more residents and visitors are motivated to take part in the events. The Office has been joining hands with the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau over the years to present the Fireworks Carnival which features both stage performance and signature delicacies next to Macau Tower. In addition, the Office also partners with the local trade this year to roll out the first Macao Lantern Festival which displays over 40 artistic lanterns along the waterfront promenade of One Central Macau concurrently during the Fireworks Display Contest, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the 1st October Golden Week. Residents and visitors can ride a Chinese-style boat out on the lake to enjoy both the beautiful fireworks and festive lanterns. They can also choose to watch the fireworks displays at “Anim’Arte Nam Van” as well as the artistic and cultural performances there, relishing a unique ambience and leisure experience.
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Organized for the first time by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (“MITE”) held an array of seminars today (3 September) and invited distinguished speakers to present key topics such as the new trends of Free Independent Travel (FIT) in the Asia-Pacific region and smart tourism. Professionals from the tourism Industry and other related sectors actively participated in the seminars for meaningful discussions. As a new highlight presented in the Expo yesterday (2 September), the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” successfully facilitated interchanges among tourism operators from China and Portugal, delivering Macao’s impact as a Sino-Portuguese platform. As part of the Expo highlights, an array of seminars were held including “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” and “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar”, “Tourism Destinations along the High-speed Railway Seminar” and “Promotion of Hot Tourist Spots in 2016”. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, members of the Tourism Development Committee, scholars and members of the travel trade and other related sectors attended the “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” and “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar” together with other participants. Professional speakers were also invited to present the topics concerned and inspire an insightful dialogue. Famous travel show hostess from Mainland China, Wang Zheng, was invited to be the facilitator for both seminars. Comprising discussion and Q&A sessions as well, the two seminars attracted over 300 participants from the tourism and other related sectors for an active exchange of perspectives. On the other hand, the “Tourism Destinations along the High-speed Railway Seminar” provided an opportunity for Mainland cities, provinces and autonomous regions along high-speed rail routes to promote their tourism attractions and connect with each other. As for the “Promotion of Hot Tourist Spots in 2016”, participants from the tourism sector were given a chance to present popular tourist spots and tourism information to the public. With its focus on the Asia-Pacific travel market, “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” featured presentations by three keynote speakers on the latest trends of FIT travel in Asia-Pacific and the related topics. Director-General of the Subcommittee for Handling Proposals of Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Founder of tourism brand “Friendly Shandong” and member of Committee of China Tourism Think Tank, Yu Chong, presented an analysis of the new trends of FIT travel across the Asia-Pacific Region. Assistant Professor of the Institute for Tourism Studies in Macao, Dr. Ali Bavik, presented the rise of Chinese independent travelers. Member of Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPPCC and Chairman of Macau Economic Development Promotion Association, Ieong Tou Hong, gave an analysis on the prospect of tourism cooperation between Macao and the Bay Area of the Pearl River Estuary. Held as a forum, “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar” featured discussions among keynote speakers including Director of General Office of Oriental Culture Research Institution, Development Research Center of the State Council, Dr. Zhang Xiaohuan; Managing Director of CNC Asia-Pacific Channel, Du Yushun; Vice President of tourism website “Lvmama.com”, Fang Tengfei; Director of Business Intelligence and Big Data, Oracle (China) Co., Ltd., Chen Chengyuan, and Dean of the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Macau University of Science and Technology, Dr. Xie Feifan. The speakers and delegates joined together for a meaningful discussion on relevant topics including development of smart tourism destinations in the region of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, industry-wide development of smart tourism in Macao’s tourism industry as well as application of the Internet of Things and Big Data. The “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” was held as another new program highlight yesterday (2 September) and was attended by over 90 delegates of the travel trade from various Mainland cities and provinces as well as Portugal, for a valuable opportunity to extend their business network and forge partnerships in tourism with each other. In her welcome remarks at the event, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed that the Expo introduced the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” this year in the hope that it not only facilitates interchanges among tourism operators from China and Portugal but also widens the channels of tourism cooperation with other Portuguese-speaking countries; as a result, Macao can make an impact as a Sino-Portuguese platform and demonstrate its potential to develop into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. In his speech, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Affairs on Tourism of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of China National Tourism Administration, Wu Kefeng remarked that Macao has accumulated good experience in advancing region-wide tourism development, which is great for both destinations to learn from each other. In addition, as the Mainland is currently putting its Belt and Road Initiative into effect, he hopes that Macao can function as a major hub and keep abreast with the era of mass tourism in the Mainland; giving play to its competitive edges, Macao can forge ahead to build a platform for tourism exchange and cooperation between the Mainland and Macao as well as between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and join hands with the Mainland to expand their Portuguese-speaking tourism markets and develop multi-destination tourism products. President of Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, Pedro Costa Ferreira, stated that Macao is historically an important destination for the Portuguese tourism market and has recently brought new and extraordinary opportunities that open up through the relationship with China, both as a source market and as a tourist destination. He added that the networking event witnessed the presence of two significant delegations from Portugal and China, which will be the engine that stimulates business development of both destinations. MITE is a significant annual gathering for tourism professionals, dedicated to offering a platform for participants from tourism and other related sectors at home and abroad to connect with each other and jointly boost their visitation. This edition of MITE is organized by MGTO for the first time, coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association and supported by China National Tourism Administration. The co-organizers include the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Women’s General Association of Macau, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Travel Industry Council of Macau and Association of Macao Tourist Agents. Teledifusão de Macau, S.A. (TDM) and Macau Asia Satellite Television Company, Limited (MASTV) are the media partners for the 4th MITE. Held at Hall D, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao, the 4th MITE is open to the public from 11:00 to 19:00 on 2 – 3 September and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 4 September. Free admission tickets are distributed on-site.
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Given the ongoing Zika virus situation in Singapore, the Embassy of China in Singapore issued a security alert to Chinese citizens. The following is the translated version of the full text: "Considering that since August of this year there has been ongoing transmission of the Zika virus in Singapore, the Health Authorities of Singapore has informed the World Health Organization that it is to be considered as the 58th country locally spreading the Zika virus, while it has also included the virus onto its list of transmittable diseases that are to be reported to the Health Authorities. As of noon of the 1st of September, the number of Zika infections in Singapore reached 151, including 23 chinese citizens. The Zika virus is known to be transmitted through the Aedes Albopictus mosquito. The symptoms include, among others, fever, headache, skin rashes, joint or muscle pain and conjunctivitis. Studies revealed that pregnant women, if infected by the Zika virus, will risk microcephaly and affect newborns. The Embassy of China in Singapore advises chinese citizens in that country to be aware of the Zika virus, especially pregnant women who should take strict precautions in avoiding mosquito bites. In case the aforementioned symptoms are suspected or observed, immediate medical assistance should be sought. Chinese citizens planning to travel to Singapore are also advised to bring medication and mosquito repellent for prevention of the Zika virus. Singapore emergency contact: 995 Embassy of China in Singapore for Consular Protection and Assistance: +65-92971517 Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: +86-10-12308 or +86-10-59913991 (This alert is valid until the 30th of September, 2016)" The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) alerts Macao residents who plan to go to Singapore to maintain alerted on the recommendations issued by the Health Authorities, avoid mosquito bites and beware of the Zika virus. If necessary, Macao residents can call the 24-hour Tourism Hotline: (853) 2833 3000, the Embassy of China in Singapore 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 specific price survey on moon cakes from 29-31 August for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo). For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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