News

“Macao Light Festival 2015 - Journey of Lights” will be extended for one day to 1st January 2016 to enhance the joy of New Year celebrations for visitors and local residents. Moreover, since tourist districts are expected to be crowded on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, spectators are advised to follow the instructions of police officers on site to ensure their personal safety as they enjoy the Macao Light Festival.
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The final versions of two reports on, respectively, the fifth-term Legislative Assembly Election and the fourth-term Chief Executive Election, are available from today on the websites especially set up for those elections. The reports, together with advice from the Commission against Corruption and the Public Prosecutions Office, are to be the basis for a proposed revision – by the Government – of the Legislative Assembly Election Law. A public consultation – regarding how to enhance the competitiveness of the electoral process for those Legislative Assembly seats assigned to the indirect election system; and how to increase the overall fairness of the electoral process – is to be held in the first quarter of 2016. The two reports issued today mainly cover analysis of election activities and of voting arrangements. They also provide suggestions on: the work of election affairs committees; the location of voting stations; the improvement of the voting process; the duration of the campaign period for elections; issues relating to invalid ballots; and supervision of the candidates’ campaign funding. The Chinese and Portuguese versions of the report on the Fifth Legislative Assembly Election are available at: www.eal.gov.mo. The Chinese and Portuguese versions of the report on the Fourth-term Chief Executive Election are at: www.ece.gov.mo. The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election and the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election, respectively, composed the reports. They were prepared with reference to the Legislative Assembly Election Law and the Chief Executive Election Law. The fifth-term Legislative Assembly Election was held in 2013 and the fourth-term Chief Executive Election was held in 2014.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that Gross National Income (GNI) at current prices was MOP 380.23 billion in 2014, lower than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices (MOP 443.30 billion) by MOP 63.07 billion, representing a net external factor income outflow of the same amount, and equivalent to 14.2% of GDP. In 2014, per-capita GNI was MOP 611,999 and per-capita GDP was MOP 713,514. Total outflow of external factor income reflects income earned by non-resident enterprises and investors from investment in Macao. In 2014, total outflow of external factor income reached MOP 98.13 billion, up by 11.9% year-on-year, mainly due to a 7.7% increase in direct investment income (MOP 85.11 billion) earned by some non-resident enterprises and investors from investment in Macao. Other investment income (MOP 10.50 billion) and portfolio investment income (MOP 759 million) also increased by 47.8% and 103.4% respectively. Total inflow of external factor income reflects income earned by resident enterprises and investors from abroad. In 2014, total inflow of external factor income rose by 53.5% year-on-year to MOP 35.06 billion, attributable to a 85.9% increase in portfolio investment income (MOP 13.40 billion) and a 38.0% rise in other investment income (MOP 19.49 billion) earned by some resident enterprises and investors from abroad. Meanwhile, direct investment income (MOP 829 million) and income on reserve assets (MOP 1.34 billion) also increased by 170.2% and 11.8% respectively year-on-year. As export prices of goods and services grew more than the import prices of goods and services, the external real purchasing power of Macao rose, which was reinforced by the decrease in the net outflow of external factor income over 2013, GNI increased by 6.7% in real terms and per-capita GNI also rose by 1.8% in real terms. GNI refers to the total income earned by residents of an economy from engaging in various economic activities within or outside the economy, corresponding to GDP plus income earned by resident investors from abroad, minus income earned by non-resident investors from investment in Macao.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise import for November 2015 decreased year-on-year for the fourth consecutive month, down by 17.4% to MOP6.67 billion. However, total merchandise export amounted to MOP868 million, up by 6.0% year-on-year; value of re-exports (MOP716 million) rose by 8.2%, with that of Electronic components soaring by 119.5%, but value of domestic exports (MOP151 million) declined by 3.4%. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.80 billion. In the first eleven months of 2015, total value of merchandise export amounted to MOP9.79 billion, with the year-on-year growth slowing further to 9.6%; value of re-exports (MOP8.15 billion) increased by 14.6%, but that of domestic exports (MOP1.64 billion) decreased by 10.1%. Total value of merchandise import fell by 3.9% to MOP77.81 billion. Merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP68.02 billion for the first eleven months of 2015. Analysed by destination, merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP5.83 billion) and Mainland China (MOP1.67 billion) in the first eleven months of 2015 increased by 11.3% and 19.3% year-on-year, while export to the EU (MOP203 million) and the USA (MOP184 million) decreased by 23.1% and 34.8% respectively. Exports of Non-textiles increased by 10.0% year-on-year to MOP9.03 billion, of which value of Clocks & watches (MOP1.16 billion) and Electronic components (MOP883 million) rose by 48.4% and 47.8% respectively, but that of Machines, apparatus & parts (MOP1.07 billion) dropped by 33.7%. Exports of Textiles & garments totalled MOP755 million, up by 5.4%. By country of origin, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP29.19 billion) in the first eleven months of 2015 increased by 9.3% year-on-year, while import from the EU (MOP17.25 billion) fell by 13.1%. Imports of Consumer goods dropped by 8.4% to MOP46.40 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP6.51 billion) decreasing by 27.7%, but that of Food & beverages (MOP10.86 billion) increasing by 2.8%. Moreover, imports of Fuels & lubricants (MOP6.43 billion) and Construction materials (MOP2.91 billion) declined by 12.7% and 8.3% respectively. External merchandise trade reached MOP87.59 billion in the first eleven months of 2015, down by 2.6% compared with MOP89.89 billion a year earlier.
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Consumer Council conducted its last ‘Supermarket price survey’ in December on 29 December for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 12 supermarkets in Taipa and Coloane area. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. With reference to the local six 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 exhibition “The Mastery of Shipbuilding – Fishing Junk Models by Wan Chun”, organised by the Historical Archives of Macao under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, was inaugurated on the premises on 29 December (Tuesday) at 6:00pm. Several fishing junk models crafted by experienced Macao shipbuilder Wan Chun were exhibited, illustrating the aesthetics of his craftsmanship and embodying the techniques and spirit of shipbuilding. The opening ceremony was attended by the Representative of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao S.A.R. Government and President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng; the Vice President of the Legislative Assembly of Macao S.A.R., Lam Heong Sang; the Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao S.A.R., Xu Ting; the President of Macao Association of Shipyard Workers, Tam Kam Kong and the Experienced Macao Shipbuilder, Wan Chun. Shipbuilding is a traditional industry of Macao, established over one and a half centuries ago. Many shipyards were scattered throughout the city. At the end of the last century, due to the high technical level of the local shipbuilders, Macao became a sizeable shipbuilding centre of wooden fishing junks in South China. Following the recent decline of this industry, experienced Macao shipbuilder Wan Chun crafted several miniatures of fishing junks based on his shipbuilding techniques experience and skills from memory, producing a series of lively miniature fishing junk replicas, allowing the public to get to know this almost extinct art. The exhibition “The Mastery of Shipbuilding – Fishing Junk Models by Wan Chun” was opened to the public at the gallery of the Historical Archives of Macao from 30 December 2015 to 9 April 2016, from 10:00am to 6:00pm except on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free. For more information, please visit the Historical Archives of Macao website: www.archives.gov.mo or call the HAM through tel. (853) 2859 2919 for enquiries during office hours.
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The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Raimundo do Rosário, attaches great importance to a report by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) – particularly its findings and suggestions – regarding undeveloped plots of land. It is according to a statement issued on Monday (28 December) by the Office of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works. Prior to the release of the CCAC’s report, the Secretary had already directed the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau to initiate procedures for reversion to the Government of land previously classified as “idle plots”; i.e., where holders of Government land concessions had failed to develop them according to the timetable and terms stated. The Secretary also had instructed the Bureau to study carefully land concessions that were about to expire, to check their development status. The Government has been handling the issue of “idle plots” according to the law and with regard to the city’s interests, as land resources are limited and important to Macao, noted the statement. The CCAC released on December 24 details of its investigation into Government decisions regarding 16 plots of undeveloped land where reversion to Government control had not been ordered. The investigation had been requested by the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The CCAC report concluded it was within the Government’s legal powers not to declare such land forfeit. The report also made suggestions on ways to improve the work of the Government in order to protect the public interest.
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An essay collection titled ‘Setting Off from Macau：Essays on Jesuit History during the Ming and Qing Dynasties’, written by Prof Tang Kaijian from the University of Macau (UM) Department of History, has been published by Brill Publishers, a publishing house with a strong focus on the field of sinology. It is UM’s first English book on Macaology published by an authoritative European press. Setting Off from Macau is a collection of Prof Tang’s essays on Catholic history in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It covers a wide range of topics in Catholic studies, including Macao’s role in the spread of Catholicism in East Asia, the history of local missionary work, the spread of Catholic art in East Asia, the Catholic churches and church members in China, and the financial condition of the Catholic mission in China. These studies are based on solid historical materials from authoritative sources, from religious and government documents, memoirs, reports, to public and private recordings and material subjects. The book is not only based on historical sources in Chinese, but also on those in foreign languages, such as English, Portuguese, Italian, Latin, Dutch, and Japanese. Brill Publishers is one of the oldest academic publishing houses in the world, with a strong influence on the field of sinology. The publishing of Setting Off from Macau by Brill shows that the study and research on Macaology has entered a new phase.
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For promoting the history of Macao’s pawnshop business, the Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will be freely open to the public from 1st January 2016, for encouraging the public to understand more about Macao’s history and culture. Residents and tourists are welcome to visit. The venue of the exhibition was formerly Tak Seng On Pawnshop (The Virtue and Success Pawnshop), which was established and co-funded by Macao magnates, Kou Ho Neng and Wong Hung Shan, in 1917. The premise, Tak Seng On, was closed in 1993 and was vacant for many years since the decline of the traditional pawnshop business. In order to preserve the cultural heritage of Macao, the Cultural Affairs Bureau undertook the restoration of Tak Seng On in 2000, whereby its old exterior architectural design of the pawnshop, internal decorations as well as devices and procedures for pawnbroker’s business records were reinstated in accordance with the basic layout of the early period of the Republic of China. The Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business was unveiled and open to the public on 21st March 2003. It has become the first industrial museum jointly operated by the government and a private entity. It is now managed by the Cultural Affairs Bureau. The heritage exhibition comprises two blocks. The front block is a three-storey pawnshop and bank, while the rear block is a seven-storey storehouse. The ground floor of the pawnshop and partial floors of the storehouse are already open to the public. There is a large screen placed at the entrance of the pawnshop, while behind of it are a high counter and a secure cage. Pawn goods are placed in the storehouse, which is built like a fortress. The foundation of the wall is made of granite, with a steel plate placed in the middle, the gray brick wall is extremely thick. Besides, there are iron-barred windows on the four sides of each floor in the storehouse. In order to safeguard the pawn goods, the architecture features typical characteristics of a pawnshop such as solid structure of the architecture, both of its interior and exterior design with fireproof, waterproof, security and anti-bandit functions. Visitors can review the past operation and procedures of the pawnbroker business through the exhibits in the venue. Tak Seng On Pawnshop received an Honourable Mention in the UNESCO 2004 Asia-Pacific Awards for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage, and it was also selected as an Urban Best Practices Area by the Shanghai World Expo 2010. This becomes one of the buildings to be preserved after the World Expo. The Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business is located at No. 396 Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. It opens from 10:30am to 7pm and closes on the first Monday of each month. For enquiries, please call 2835 7911 during office hours, or visit www.macaumuseum.gov.mo or www.icm.gov.mo.
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Prof Hong Gang Jin, dean of the University of Macau’s (UM) Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH), received two prestigious awards from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)’s affiliated organisation, Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) in the United States, namely the CLTA Walton Lifetime Achievement Award and the CLTA Peking University Press Publication Award, in recognition of her lifetime dedication to language education and cross-cultural understanding. This is the second time Prof Jin has received the Walton Lifetime Achievement Award. The first Walton Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded by the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL), of which she was the president for six years. The CLTA award is given to individuals in recognition of their contributions to the field of Chinese language pedagogy. During her 25-year career as a professor, Prof Jin has participated in many innovative projects in the field of second language acquisition and Chinese as a foreign language (CFL).These include conducting empirical research in cognition and second language acquisition , designing innovative language programmes and curricula, administering large-scale federal and private grants, leading professional organisations of CLTA and NCOLCTL, and chairing national committees for advanced placement examinations. Prof Jin has designed more than eight language programmes and curricula and has conducted more than 50 research and teacher development workshops at national and regional levels. Prof Jin has also received the CLTA Peking University Press Publication Award for her recent work ‘Empirical Studies on Selective Attention and Noticing Hypothesis in CFL Classroom.’ Her work focuses on the psychological factor of attention in learning a second language and teacher effectiveness, which she believes to be the most important issues in language learning. Her research suggests that effectively directing learners’ attention is about promoting active participation and discovery learning that can benefit students for life. ‘Being a first-generation immigrant to the US, I brought with me a set of family values to work in that country,’ says Prof Jin. ‘These values were passed down to me from my great grandfather who was a successful businessman. He taught my grandfather and my father to be willing to do three things in one’s life. That is: to give; to learn; and to share. Throughout my professional life, I have used these family values to inspire my teaching, professional activities, and field service. I believe these qualities are also important to a successful leader in the foreign language education field.’ Prof Jin’s research interests include second language acquisition, cognitive processing of languages, transfer of learning, input analysis, interaction analysis, curriculum design, and teacher development. During her 25-year tenure at Hamilton College, she published numerous books and research articles. Prof Jin has over ten years of experience in collaborative research with numerous universities in the United States, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and mainland China, and she has secured several major federal and private grants from the US, mainland China, and Taiwan. She has also served as the president or a member of the board of directors at numerous teachers’ associations in the US. She is currently the chair of the AP Chinese Development Committee. She was named the 1998 CASE National Outstanding Baccalaureate College Professor of the Year. She also received Hamilton’s 1963 Award of Teaching Excellence in 1996. In 2013 she received the NCOLCTL Walton Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in teaching and research. Founded in 1962, the CLTA is a professional organisation devoted exclusively to the study of the Chinese language, culture and pedagogy in the Unites States.
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