News

According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, money supply retreated in February. As total loans increased whereas total deposits decreased, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector rose from a month earlier. Money supply Currency in circulation grew 8.1% whereas demand deposits dropped 4.5%. M1 thus decreased 2.2% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities fell 2.4%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, decreased 2.4% to MOP481.7 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 rose 5.5% and 5.4% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 27.6%, up 0.9 percentage points from a month ago or 3.0 percentage points from a year earlier. The share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 50.3%, down 0.4 percentage points month-to-month or 0.1 percentage point year-on-year. The share of Chinese Yuan (CNY) was 11.9%, down 0.8 percentage points month-to-month or 4.3 percentage points year-on-year. The share of United States Dollar (USD) was 8.1%, up 0.3 percentage points month-to-month or 1.4 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits Resident deposits decreased 2.6% from the preceding month to MOP469.6 billion. Of which, MOP and USD deposits increased at respective rates of 0.1% and 1.5% while HKD, CNY and other foreign currency deposits decreased 3.1%, 8.7% and 0.6% respectively. Non-resident deposits grew 1.6% to MOP244.7 billion. Public sector deposits with the banking sector increased 3.0% to MOP105.8 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector dropped 0.7% from a month earlier to MOP820.1 billion. The shares of MOP, HKD, CNY and USD in total deposits were 19.1%, 42.1%, 13.7% and 20.4% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector increased 0.4% from a month ago to MOP346.2 billion. Among which, MOP94.2 billion was MOP-denominated, MOP224.9 billion was denominated in HKD, MOP1.6 billion was denominated in CNY and MOP24.4 billion was denominated in USD, representing 27.2%, 65.0%, 0.5% and 7.1% of the total respectively. On the other hand, external loans grew 1.8% to MOP355.0 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP, HKD, CNY and USD accounted for 1.3% (MOP4.8 billion), 21.9% (MOP77.6 billion), 17.5% (MOP62.0 billion) and 54.5% (MOP193.6 billion) respectively. Loan-to-deposit ratios The loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector at end-February rose 1.2 percentage points from the previous month to 60.2%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors also grew 1.5 percentage points to 85.5%.
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Following the use of the new labels with franking impressions, indication of the latest posing time, 2D barcode and publicity slogan impressions of EMS at Carmo, Seac Pai Van and Mong Ha Post Offices on 9 October 2014, Macao Post announces that the Communications Museum Shop will also use the new labels with effect from 14th April 2015 as below. This label is applicable only to mail correspondences, small packets and printed matters at postal counters, and it is not for individual sale.
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Owing to the annual inspection and maintenance of some automatic stamp vending machines and postal kiosks, please be informed that the service of some machines will be suspended with effect from April 2, 2015 until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in tourism with the Office of International Exchange, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of the Republic of Angola (‘Angola’) today (1 April) to strengthen their collaborative relation for mutual benefit. The officials who attended and witnessed the signing ceremony are as follows: Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Alexis, Tam Chon Weng, Liaison Officer and Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola for Asia and Oceania, André Panzo; Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macau), Chang Hexi; Angola Ambassador to China, João Garcia Bires; Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Lai Ieng Kit; Deputy Secretary-General, representing Portuguese-speaking countries, of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum, Vicente de Jesus Manuel; Deputy Secretary-General, representing the Macao SAR Government, of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum and Coordinator of its Supporting Office, Echo Chan; Representative of Angola from the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum, Belarmino Paredes Vieira Barbosa, and MGTO Deputy Directors Cecilia Tse and Cheng Wai Tong. Director of MGTO, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Director of the Office of International Exchange, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of the Republic of Angola, Rosa António Gomes Cruz, signed the MOU for cooperation in tourism. Considering the friendly and collaborative relation between Macau and Angola, both parties agreed to sign the MOU in order to begin and promote their multifaceted cooperation in tourism. For the main purpose of training talents in the tourism industry while considering its significance to the economy of Macau and Angola, the memorandum aims at eight objectives as follows: exchange information on formulation, definition and implementation of policies in the tourism sector; share experience regarding planning, management and certification system of tourism activities; develop collaborative relations and partnership between small and medium-sized tourism enterprises of Macau and Angola; assist the tourism sector, travel agencies and hotels in organizing promotional activities; exchange information on tourism market trends as well as other technical and statistical data; assist in establishing an incentive system for promotion of the tourism industry; tourism promotion primarily through studies on the tourism image of both destinations, promotional activities, participation in travel fairs and business forums as well as other related activities; training and skill development of technical talents in the above fields. Macau and Angola collaborate with each other through a variety of ways including familiarization visits, information and document exchange, technical assistance, offering suggestions and training. Macau and Angola signed the MOU for cooperation in tourism while the 10th General Meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macau) took place in Macau. MGTO also signed Memoranda of Understanding for cooperation in tourism with Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique in 2010, and with East Timor in 2013. In order to reinforce mutual learning and exchange, hence contributing to training tourism professionals for these Portuguese-speaking countries, MGTO already welcomed a total of 57 tourism government trainees from these countries between 2012 and 2014. This press release is available at: http://industry.macautourism.gov.mo/en
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In order to promote the development of classical music in Macao, raise the training and musical interpretation ability of young musicians and offer learning and performance opportunities, the Cultural Affairs Bureau organises the 33rd Macao Young Musicians Competition, dedicated this year to piano, to take place between August 2 and 8. All interested parties are invited to apply online from April 13 to 18 and in person from April 19 and 22. For purposes of convenience, aside from applications in person, online applications are also available and can be done from 10am on April 13 to 9pm on April 18 through the webpage www.icm.gov.mo/cjmm; supporting documents and the application fee of MOP80 per category must be submitted at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building, daily from 10am to 7pm (opens during lunch time and weekends) from April 23 to 26. Applications in person can be done at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building, daily from 10am to 7pm (opens during lunch time) from April 19 to 22, by submitting the application form duly filled out, the supporting documents and the application fee of MOP100 per category. Applicants must necessarily be holders a valid Macau ID card and must have been born on or after 1994. More information on application, the competition’s regulations, the application form and the list of compulsory pieces are available on the website of the Macau Young Musicians Competition. Applicants who wish to consult the scores of the compulsory pieces can do so at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building as well as the Macao Central Library and its branches, namely the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, the Ilha Verde Library, the Mong Há Library and the Red Market Library, during office hours. For more information call 8399 6911, 8399 6620, 8399 6637, 8399 6609 and 8399 6618, during office hours. During the online application period, a related hotline will be available daily up to 9pm through the number 8399 6911.
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A Government group has chosen two pandas for Macao after a long selection process. The eight-year-old female called “Shurong” and its seven-year-old male partner “Yalin” are expected to arrive in June. According to the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, who led the co-ordinating group for the selection, an expert team had shortlisted the two best pairs from 55 pandas that met stringent criteria including age, physical and psychological health, behaviour, breeding capabilities and heredity, from Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The group decided on “Shurong” and “Yalin” after visiting Chengdu. As for Hoi Hoi, which lost its female partner last year, the team suggested that it be returned to Chengdu for further breeding because of his potent fertility. The offer of two more pandas for Macao was announced by President Xi Jinping when he was here for the inauguration ceremony of the new government team last December.
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In order to encourage savings and making good use of money, and motivate young people to participate in cultural creative activities, Macao Postal Savings (CEP) is organizing a “Creative Savings Box” with the theme of “Penny and penny laid up will be many” jointly with Communications Museum. All full-time students of Macao are welcomed to participate individually either in the Primary School Category or Secondary School Category. Each participant is required to design and construct a 3 dimensional savings box with a coin insertion hole. There is no restriction on the material used, colour, outlook design and size of the submitted work. From now till 5:30 pm of 31st July 2015 (Friday), participants can submit their work together with a completed application form to the Reception Counter of Communications Museum (Estrada de D. Maria II, No. 7, Macau). In addition to awarding trophies, gift vouchers and philately items to the first, second and third prize winners, there will also have three Appreciation Awards. Souvenirs will be offered to the guidance teachers of all participants. For details of the contest and application form, please visit the website of Communications Museum (http://macao.communications.museum).
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The University of Macau (UM) today (31 March) held a ceremony in Beijing to confer an honorary doctorate upon Prof Chen Ning Yang, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics. Prof Yang said in his acceptance speech that he felt greatly honoured to receive the highest honour from UM, especially when this honour was received at Tsinghua University where he has spent more than 70 years. Guests at the ceremony included Xu Ting, director of the Department of Culture and Education of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Zhao Lingshan, deputy director of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Ministry of Education; Hong Wai, director of the Office of the Macao Special Administrative Region in Beijing; Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, Beijing; Lam Kam Seng, chair of UM’s University Council; Wei Zhao, rector of UM; Lionel M Ni, vice rector (academic affairs) of UM; Philip Chen, dean of UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology; and Liu Chuan Sheng, master of UM’s Chao Kuang Piu College. Lam Kam Seng presented the honorary degree to Prof Yang in the company of Rector Wei Zhao. Faculty members and students from UM and Tsinghua University, as well as Macao residents studying in Beijing, also attended the ceremony. ‘I visited UM last spring, and the new campus left a deep impression on me,’ said Prof Yang at the ceremony. ‘At that time, all the buildings on the new campus had been completed, and they looked beautiful. Now UM has moved to the new campus, which I believe will have an enormous impact on the university’s development over decades to come.’ UM Rector Wei Zhao thanked Tsinghua University for its assistance in organising the ceremony, which allowed UM to present the highest honour to Prof Yang at his alma mater. Rector Zhao noted that Tsinghua University was the most important member of the National Southwest Associated University (NSAU) during Chinese people’s resistance against Japanese invasion. Wei Zhao said that NSAU was among the first universities in Asia to successfully combine liberal arts education with research, two important tasks of higher education, and UM’s ‘4-in-1’ model of education, which consists of education inside the classroom and education outside the classroom, is designed for the same purpose. And Prof Yang, who has received education at the NSAU, and who has now become a member of UM, is the epitome of UM’s ‘4-in-1’ model of education. Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong said in his speech that over the past three decades, UM has grown to be the best university in Macao in a number of areas, such as microelectronics. UM and Tsinghua University signed collaboration agreements in 2000, and Qiu Yong hopes that faculty and students from the two universities will have more opportunities for exchange and collaboration in the future. Philip Chen, dean of UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology, praised Prof Yang as a world-renowned physicist, saying that one of Yang’s most important contributions is that he has changed Chinese people’s self-imposed feeling of inferiority.
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The University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) today (31 March) held an opening ceremony for its Russian Centre. FSS Dean Hao Yufan says that the Russian Centre aims to provide a platform for UM faculty and students to learn more about Russia. He hopes the establishment of the Russian Centre will increase collaboration and cultural exchange between China and Russia. Attendees of the ceremony included Georgy D Toloraya, a representative of the Russkiy Mir Foundation; and Vladimir A Kalinin, consulate general of the Russian Federation in the Hong Kong SAR and the Macao SAR.
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Macao Post urges public to be vigilant and pay attention to an email written in simplified chinese with an indication of Macao Post Logo that solicit the recipient to disclose address (please refer to the image for details). As the domain name of the sender is different from the domain name of Macao Post “macaupost.gov.mo”, we have to clarify that Macao Post did not send the email concerned to their customers. Given the attached zip file “macaupost.zip” contains computer virus, public is advised not to download the file concerned.
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