News

Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the 30th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) will be held from 1 October to 30 October, offering a total of 20 programmes and 27 excellent performances. Tickets will be on sale from 10am this Sunday, 7 August, at the Macau Ticketing Network; telephone and online bookings will be available from 12pm on the same day. On the first day of ticket sales, sales are limited to 10 tickets per performance and per person and to 2 tickets per person for free admission performances. The Cultural Affairs Bureau will distribute queuing vouchers at the Macau Ticketing Network starting from 9am on the first day of ticket sales. Purchasers can buy tickets according to the respective queuing vouchers. In celebration of the Pearl Jubilee of the MIMF, top-level musicians and ensembles from all over the world will gather in Macao. This edition of the MIMF, under the theme “Glorious 30 . The Sinophone Rhapsodies”, specially presents several works that demonstrate the charm of the Chinese culture. The vast programme includes the opening performance, Puccini’s opera in three acts, Turandot, the closing programme Chaplin Once More! with the collaboration of the Macao Orchestra, the world famous Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra (Russia), the brilliant jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, the chamber opera A Dream of Fragrancy created by local artists, the “Queen of Pipa” Zhang Hong Yan, the well-known huqin master, Xu Ke, the superb Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble, Portugal’s new rising fado star Carminho, as well as a performance by the first Artistic Director of the MIMF and outstanding Portuguese pianist, Adriano Jordão. In addition, the concerts Bravo Macao! will be held on 29 September and 30 September, allowing local musicians to showcase their talent. Several early bird discounts are available on ticket purchases between 7 and 14 August, a 30% discount is available for ticket purchases for 4 or more different performances, of 10 or more tickets for the same performance, and for valid full-time Student Card or Teacher Card holders. Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card holders can enjoy 50% discount on ticket purchases (one discounted ticket per performance per card holder). Holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card may also enjoy 30% discount on tickets for Turandot, A Dream of Fragrancy, From Russia with Classics and The Russian Legends. Besides, a 20% discount will be offered on the purchase of any 30th MIMF tickets for holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card, as well as holders of ICBC Bank, BCM Bank, OCBC Wing Hang Bank’s MasterCard, VISA or UnionPay cards. For more details on the 30th MIMF’s programmes, please visit the Festival website at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm. For any inquiries, please call IC through tel. 8399 6699 during office hours. 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 1,141 new companies were incorporated in the second quarter of 2016, a decrease of 153 year-on-year. Total value of registered capital dropped by 61.8% year-on-year to MOP140 million, attributable to a decrease in capital of new companies registered with capital of MOP1,000,000 or over. Analysed by industry, there were 400 new incorporations operating in Wholesale & Retail and 277 in Business Services. Companies in dissolution totalled 228 in the second quarter, and the value of registered capital of companies in dissolution amounted to MOP58 million. Analysed by size of registered capital, there were 786 new companies (68.9% of total) registered with capital under MOP50,000, and the total value of capital was MOP20 million. On the other hand, there were 24 new companies registered with capital of MOP1,000,000 or over, and the total value of capital amounted to MOP77 million (54.8% of total). As regards origin of capital, the majority of the capital came from Macao (MOP77 million) and Mainland China (MOP30 million). Capital from the 9 Provinces of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region totalled MOP21 million (93.1% from Guangdong province), of which companies operating in Wholesale & Retail Trade and Information & Related Activities accounted for 52.2% and 24.3% respectively. Analysed by combination of shareholders, there were 778 new companies established solely by Macao shareholders, and 128 joint ventures between shareholders from Macao and other countries or regions. In the first half year of 2016, a total of 2,258 new companies were incorporated, down by 17.9% year-on-year; total value of registered capital decreased by 49.9% to MOP263 million. Number of companies in dissolution totalled 424, and the value of registered capital of companies in dissolution amounted to MOP111 million. At the end of the second quarter of 2016, number of registered companies totalled 54,892, an increase of 3,789 from a year earlier.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, the total number of personal credit cards in circulation continued to grow in the second quarter of 2016. The credit card turnover rebounded from a quarter ago and the credit card repayments dropped mildly. Circulation The total number of personal credit cards in circulation was 1,009,590 at the end of June 2016, equivalent to an increase of 3.3% over a quarter earlier. The numbers of Pataca (MOP) cards, Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) cards and Renminbi (RMB) cards were 715,147, 85,968 and 208,475 respectively. MOP cards, HKD cards and RMB cards witnessed respective growth of 3.0%, 2.6% and 4.8% quarter-to-quarter. Compared with a year ago, MOP cards and HKD cards rose 13.7% and 8.8% respectively, while RMB cards, the majority of which were MOP/RMB dual-currency cards, rose even faster by 28.5%. Credit limit granted and delinquency As at end-June 2016, credit card credit limit granted by banks in Macao reached MOP23.7 billion, up 4.2% from end-March 2016. Credit card receivables amounted to MOP2.3 billion while the rollover amount totalled MOP704.9 million, accounting for 30.4% of credit card receivables. The delinquency ratio, i.e. the ratio of delinquent amount overdue for more than three months to credit card receivables, edged up from 1.35% at end-March 2016 to 1.46% at end-June 2016. Turnover and repayment For the second quarter of 2016, the credit card turnover grew 2.3% quarter-to-quarter to MOP4.5 billion. The cash advance turnover was MOP230.8 million, accounting for 5.1% of total credit card turnover. Credit card repayments, in which payments for interest and fees are included, dropped 5.6% from the previous quarter to MOP4.4 billion.
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Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the 30th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) will kick off on 1st October 2016, bringing together outstanding musicians and ensembles from Russia, the United States of America, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Mongolia, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. A total of 27 extraordinary performances from 20 programmes will be presented in this grand annual musical event. MIMF, which is set to celebrate its 30th Anniversary Pearl Jubilee, held its first press conference today (4th August 2016) in Guangdong Province. The Mainland China edition of ‘Official WeChat Account of the Cultural Affairs Bureau’ has been activated for the occasion, in order to bring the charm of Macao culture to the audiences in the Mainland China. This is the first-ever press conference of MIMF held in Guangdong Province. As it coincides with the 30th Anniversary of MIMF, the organizer had specially prepared a birthday cake to welcome the grand musical annual event with the audiences in the Mainland China. MIMF will cooperate with Guangdong media extensively, and promote its programmes and share information of the festivities through its media partner, Music FM Radio Guangdong and therefore enhance its influence in Mainland China. To facilitate the delivery of information of arts and cultural activities of Macao to the audience in Mainland China, the organiser has specially activated the Mainland China edition of ‘Official WeChat Account of the Cultural Affairs Bureau’, which features the ‘30th MIMF Prize Game’ supported by The Venetian Macao. Users who subscribe to the WeChat account from today to 31st August 2016 will be eligible to participate in the game and enjoy the chance to enter the lucky draw session. The grand prize (three places) is free accommodation in a luxury suite at the Venetian Macao; the second prize (five places) is two free tickets to the opening performance of MIMF, Turandot, and the third prize (five places) is two free tickets to the closing performance of MIMF, Chaplin Once More!. Winners will be announced on 12th September via the official WeChat account. This edition of the MIMF is themed “Glorious 30 ‧ The Sinophone Rhapsodies”. Aside from the usual renowned classics, this year the MIMF specially presents several works of ethnic appeal. The 30th MIMF also features the “Macao International Music Festival Forum” and the 30th Macao International Music Festival Special Commemorative Edition will be launched on this occasion. The Festival kicks off with its own production, joining hands with internationally renowned Italian stage director Giancarlo del Monaco and acclaimed set and costume designer William Orlandi to present Giacomo Puccini’s opera in three acts Turandot, which narrates the story of the romance of life and death between Chinese Princess Turandot and Prince Calaf of Tartary. Renowned American conductor Timothy Brock leads the Macao Orchestra on the live accompaniment of the silent films “City Lights” and “The Gold Rush” by comedy genius Charlie Chaplin, bringing to a close the MIMF’s pearl jubilee at Park of Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção under a starry sky. In order to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of the great playwright, Tang Xianzu, the Festival has specially produced the chamber opera A Dream of Fragrancy, created local professionals, an adaptation of Tang Xianzu’s travelling experience to Macao in 1591. Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble accompanies the morin khuur with the throat singing technique khoomei, whereby one singer produces two notes simultaneously, introducing the music of this traditional instrument, classified as national intangible cultural heritage. Outstanding musicians from the Macao Chinese Orchestra, the Guangdong National Orchestra, the Taipei Youth Chinese Orchestra and the Hong Kong Yao Yuen Chinese Music Association take to the stage to jointly present the concert Joyous Harmony, allowing the audience to enjoy the beauty of national music. Brilliant classical music conductor Valery Gergiev leads the world famous Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra in the performance of Russian masters Prokofiev and Shostakovitch’s classical works. British group Colin Currie Group makes its debut in Asia with a minimalist concert featuring percussion works by iconic composer Steve Reich. The Mount Fortress hosts the hypnotising fado of Portugal’s new rising star Carminho; brilliant contemporary jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove will play several works by jazz giant Miles Davis. In order to encourage the local talents, this year’s MIMF continues to host the concerts Bravo Macao! for local musicians to showcase their performance. Tickets will be on sale from 10am on 7 August 2016 (Sunday) at the Macau Ticketing Network and telephone and online bookings are available from 12pm on the same day. On the first day of ticket sales, ticket purchases are limited to a maximum of 10 tickets per performance per person. Early bird discounts of 30% will be offered when buying tickets between 7 and 14 August, and a 20% discount will be offered when buying tickets between 15 and 21 August. Holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card may also enjoy a 30% discounts on tickets for Turandot - Opera in Three Acts by Puccini, A Dream of Fragrancy - Chamber Opera Premiere, From Russia, with Classics - Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra or The Russian Legends - Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra . A 20% discount will be offered in the purchase of tickets for all other shows for holders of the designated credit card or bank card. A 50% discount will be offered for holders of Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card (each card holder is allowed to purchase one discounted ticket per performance only). For every ticket purchase over MOP1,000 (net price calculated after discounts), purchasers will receive a “buy 1 get 1 free” voucher for Cotai Water Jet ferry tickets. For every ticket purchase over MOP500 (net price calculated after discounts), purchasers will receive one 30% F&B coupon which can be redeemed when dining at selected restaurants in The Venetian® Macao. This edition of the MIMF counts with the support of the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macao, Air Macau, Air Macau, The Venetian® Macao, and has Cotai Water Jet as official ferry company. For more details on the programme and offers, please access the Festival’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm. For enquiries, please call IC through tel. no. 8399 6699, during office hours. Ticketing hotlines: 2855 5555 (Macao), 2380 5083 (Hong Kong), 139 269 11111 (Mainland China). Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com. The 30th MIMF Guangdong press conference was held on 4th August 2016 in the International Convetion Hall on the 3/F of the Guangdong Broadcast Centre, Guangdong. Head of the Department for the Development of the Performing Arts of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kent Ieong Chi Kin; Head of the Division of Performing Arts of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Paula Lei; the deputy director of Guangdong Radio and Television Music FM, Zhao Yimin and others attended the event.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, broad money supply continued to grow in June. As total deposits increased at a faster pace than total loans, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector dropped from a month earlier. Concurrently, the non-performing loan ratio, an indicator for bank asset quality, kept virtually stable. Money supply Currency in circulation grew 1.7% whereas demand deposits dropped 2.8%. M1 thus decreased 1.8% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities rose 1.2%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, increased 0.8% to MOP478.8 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 dropped 9.9% and 2.0% respectively. The shares of Pataca (MOP), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Chinese Yuan (CNY) and United States Dollar (USD) in M2 were 30.5%, 51.5%, 6.5% and 9.1% respectively. Deposits Resident deposits increased 0.8% from the preceding month to MOP466.0 billion while non-resident deposits grew 6.7% to MOP292.7 billion. Concurrently, public sector deposits with the banking sector increased 1.2% to MOP154.7 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector increased 2.7% from a month earlier to MOP913.3 billion. The shares of MOP, HKD, CNY and USD in total deposits were 20.1%, 47.4%, 8.9% and 20.7% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector increased 1.4% from a month ago to MOP403.3 billion. Among which, MOP116.7 billion was MOP-denominated, MOP262.4 billion was denominated in HKD, MOP2.4 billion was denominated in CNY and MOP19.1 billion was denominated in USD, representing 28.9%, 65.1%, 0.6% and 4.7% of the total respectively. Analysed by economic sector, “manufacturing industries”, “non-monetary financial institutions” and “wholesale and retail trade” increased at respective rates of 17.2%, 17.0% and 6.9% compared with a quarter ago, whereas “transport, warehouse and communications” and “education” dropped 8.4% and 2.5% respectively. External loans grew 0.9% to MOP371.0 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP, HKD, CNY and USD accounted for 2.0% (MOP7.3 billion), 27.0% (MOP100.1 billion), 15.3% (MOP56.7 billion) and 49.1% (MOP182.2 billion) respectively. Operating ratios At end-June, the loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector rose 0.3 percentage points from the previous month to 65.0%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors dropped 1.3 percentage points to 84.8%. The one-month and three-month current assets to liabilities ratios stayed at relatively high levels of 54.4% and 56.9% respectively. Furthermore, the non-performing loan ratio was 0.1%, virtually unchanged from one month earlier and one year ago.
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Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the registration for the third and fourth phases of Nam Van Lake Craft Market this year is now open until 19 August and 15 September respectively. All cultural and creative entities and individuals are welcome to register, in order to showcase and sell their original brands and products. Located at Anim’Arte NAM VAN, Nam Van Lake Craft Market features 26 indoor and outdoor market stalls operating from 11am to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays, where cultural and creative entities from Macao, Mainland China and Hong Kong offer creative products for sale, hold handicraft workshops and music performances occasionally. The third phase of Nam Van Lake Craft Market will be held from 5 September to 30 October 2016, with the fourth phase from 1 November 2016 to 1 January 2017. Jointly presented by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Institute for Tourism Studies, under the governance of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Anim’Arte NAM VAN opened in June this year and incorporates featured cafés, paddle boats, cultural and creative shops and art performances at the Nam Van Lake Square, providing a diversity of services and experience for residents and tourists as well as additional cultural, tourism and leisure elements in Macao. All interested entities and individuals are welcome to register for "Nam Van Lake Craft Market"; registration is free. IC will select stall operators according to the originality and peculiarity of their products. Application forms are now available at the Department for Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (No. 567, Avenida da Praia Grande, BNU Building, 12th floor A-D, Macao) or can be downloaded at the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com) and IC’s website (www.icm.gov.mo). Applicants must submit all required documents together with completed application form to the Department for Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries in person or via e-mail during the specific period stated on the Application Form. For enquiries, please contact Ms. Wong, staff member of IC, through tel. no. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council collects prices of fresh pork and vegetables from wet markets and supermarkets for consumers’ reference. The mentioned data collected during 27 July to 2 August are used for comparing the selling prices of the same products from Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The relevant data has been uploaded to the Council’s website for consumers’ reference. The specific price surveys on fresh pork and vegetables are now available on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), iPhone & Android ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ app, and the Council’s WeChat Account page. The relevant surveys include selling prices of local fresh pork and vegetables, and comparison on the respective selling prices rom Zhuhai, HK, and Macao. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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Prof António Vasconcelos de Saldanha, from the Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS), University of Macau (UM), recently presented the rediscovered personal journal of the Jesuit priest and scientist Sabatino de Ursis (1575-1620), one of the successors of Fr Matteo Ricci in the Ming court of China, at a conference held in the Department of Sinology at the University of Tübingen in Germany. Prof Saldanha’s rediscovery brings a new understanding of the history of how Western science was introduced into China during the Ming dynasty. Apart from the important and far unknown references to the scientific production by famous Portuguese Jesuits, such as Frs João Rodrigues ‘Tçuzu’ on geography and Manuel Dias’s《天問略》 (An Explanation of the Celestial Sphere, 1615) that introduced Galileo’s work into China, the newly rediscovered manuscript shows how Sabatino de Ursis systematically discussed practical problems and a number of selected theoretical questions related to hydrology, water technology, and water management in his Hydromethods of the Great West, a treatise published in Beijing in 1612. The Portuguese manuscript brings a new understanding of this work whose publication and spread was sponsored by important scholar-officials in Ming dynasty and which was graced with a preface by Xu Guangqi before being presented to the Wanli Emperor. This Portuguese manuscript used to belong to the Jesuit archives in Macao. Since the mid-18th century, it has sunk into oblivion in the famous Jesuit collections in the royal library of Ajuda in Lisbon, where it was rediscovered and identified by Prof Saldanha. Prof Saldanha is a renowned specialist on the history of Macao and the history of the Society of Jesus in China. His research is being developed in association with another important and innovative research project ‘Translating Western Science, Technology and Medicine to Late Ming China: The Kunyu gezhi 《坤輿格致》(Investigations of the Earth’s Interior; 1640) and Taixi shuifa 《泰西水法》(Hydromethods of the Great West; 1612)’, directed by the renowned European sinologist Prof Hans Ulrich Vogel from the Section of Sinology at the Department of Chinese and Korean Studies, Tübingen University, Germany. Further results of the analysis of this hitherto unknown but important historical source will be presented at an international conference to be held in Beijing in November this year.
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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 survey on fresh pork from wet markets and supermarkets on 2 August. Prices of different types of pork, including pork chop, ribs, pork belly, lean meat, etc. were collected. The specific product price survey on fresh pork can be found on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone & Android apps, and the Council’s official WeChat account. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that new registration of motor vehicles decreased by 29.8% year-on-year to 939 in June 2016. In the first half year of 2016, new registration of motor vehicles dropped by 31.6% year-on-year to 6,869, with that of motorcycles (3,809) and light private cars (2,186) falling by 25.9% and 48.4% respectively. Total number of licensed motor vehicles reached 248,680 at the end of June, up by 1.9% year-on-year; motorcycles and light private cars accounted for 52.1% and 41.0% respectively of the total. There were 1,269 traffic accident cases in June and number of injuries totalled 364. In the first half year of 2016, number of traffic accidents decreased by 2.5% year-on-year to 7,425 cases, resulting in 2,276 casualties and 4 of them were killed. Cross-border vehicle traffic totalled 427,258 trips in June 2016, up by 2.1% year-on-year. In the first half year of 2016, cross-border vehicle traffic rose slightly by 0.7% year-on-year to 2,549,159 trips, of which vehicle traffic through the Border Gate took up 77.2%. Passenger ferry movements between Macao and Mainland China and between Macao and Hong Kong decreased by 6.4% year-on-year to 10,966 trips in June, while movements in the first half year (68,080 trips) dropped by 6.3%. Commercial flight movements at the Macao International Airport totalled 4,422 in June 2016, up by 7.1% year-on-year. In the first half year of 2016, commercial flight movements increased by 6.8% year-on-year to 27,202 trips; flight movements to and from Mainland China and Vietnam dropped by 2.9% and 3.1% while movements to and from Japan, Thailand and Taiwan rose by 64.8%, 21.1% and 16.6% respectively. Helicopter flight movements between Macao and Mainland China and between Macao and Hong Kong decreased by 11.2% year-on-year to 1,074 trips in June, while movements in the first half year (4,808 trips) fell by 31.8%. Gross weight of seaborne containerized cargo dropped by 35.1% year-on-year to 14,747 tonnes in June 2016. Seaborne container throughput totalled 10,273 TEU, equivalent to 7,180 containers handled, down by 18.9% and 17.4% respectively year-on-year. In the first half year of 2016, gross weight of seaborne containerized cargo decreased by 28.4% year-on-year to 95,240 tonnes, of which 49.9% passed through Inner Harbour; seaborne container throughput (63,201 TEU) and containers handled (43,164) dropped by 15.0% and 13.7% respectively. Gross weight of containerized cargo by land decreased by 7.0% year-on-year to 1,955 tonnes in June. In the first half year of 2016, gross weight of containerized cargo by land rose by 20.2% year-on-year to 12,184 tonnes, of which cargo through the Checkpoint of Cotai (10,395 tonnes) accounted for 85.3%. The Macao International Airport handled 2,540 tonnes of air cargo in June 2016, up by 12.2% year-on-year. In the first half year of 2016, inward air cargo (3,070 tonnes) decreased by 11.9% year-on-year while outward air cargo (8,867 tonnes) increased by 20.4%; inward air cargo from Taiwan (57.7% of total) dropped by 15.0% whereas outward air cargo to Taiwan (44.5% of total) rose by 33.7%. Transit air cargo (3,180 tonnes) increased by 2.3% year-on-year in the first half year. At the end of June 2016, number of fixed-line telephone subscribers decreased by 6.9% year-on-year to 140,173. Number of mobile telephone subscribers rose slightly by 0.5% to 1,874,950, of which stored-value GSM card subscribers (1,191,099) accounted for 63.5%. Number of internet subscribers increased by 10.7% year-on-year to 350,879. In the first half year of 2016, the cumulative duration of internet usage rose by 12.4% year-on-year to 582 million hours.
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