News

Consumer Council conducted its third 'Supermarket price survey' in September on 11 September for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 8 supermarkets in Toi San, Ilha Verde and Fai Chi Kei areas in N. Sra. de Fátima Parish. The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. 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.
…

The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released results of Survey on Participation of Residents in Cultural Activities conducted in the second quarter of 2014. This Survey aims to collect data on individuals aged 16 and above, regarding their participation in cultural activities such as going to cinema, visiting museum or World Heritage site, going to library, and attending performance and art exhibition, in the six months prior to the date of interview. Excluding those who participate in such activities due to work or learning. In the second quarter of 2014, a total of 284,000 individuals participated in cultural activities and the cultural activity participation rate (percentage of those participate in cultural activities to the population aged 16 and above) was 53.6%, down by 3.1 percentage points compared with the second quarter of 2013. Analysed by type of cultural activity, there were 173,000 individuals going to cinema, up by 6.2% year-on-year; those aged 25-34 increased by 23.1% to 73,000. As regards visiting museums or World Heritage sites, those visiting World Heritage sites decreased by 21.0% to 88,000 while those visiting museums increased by 19.7% to 81,000. Those attending performances totalled 110,000, up by 6.0% year-on-year. Those aged 55 and above had the highest average attendance of 3.5 per participant, and 72.0% of them attended theatre performances. Meanwhile, those aged 16-24 and 25-34 had lower average attendance, both at 2.1, with the majority attending music or dance performances, at 76.3% and 90.9% respectively. There were 40,000 individuals attending art exhibitions, down by 2.9% year-on-year; 95.6% of those attending art exhibitions also took part in other types of cultural activities, up by 0.9 percentage points year-on-year. Those going to libraries totalled 119,000, up by 2.1% year-on-year. The participation rate of students (64.5%) was higher than that of non-students (18.2%), with the difference between the two narrowing from 50.0 percentage points in the same quarter of 2013 to 46.3 percentage points.
…

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 8th Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM8), will open in Macao on 13 September, the first time this event is held in China. As the organizer of the TMM8, the Macao Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the preparation for the event, especially on conference facilitation, venue decoration, human resources allocation and security. With China being the host country, it helps to broaden and enhance China tourism's international influence, and at the same time, promote future co-operation and development between Macao and other economies, which benefits Macao's promotion as a worldwide tourism and leisure center. To take up the important responsibility of organizer, the Macao SAR Government -- with the engagement of the Macao Government Tourist Office, the Public Security Police, the Government Information Bureau and the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office -- has made its best efforts to ensure smooth and stable progress in the preparation and coordination works. The organization committee has also recruited 66 student volunteers from four local tertiary education institutions who are fluent in a numbere of foreign languages and have received special training on the knowledge of Macao and service etiquette. The Macao SAR Government will host the "Macao Night" – Welcome Dinner for the participating delegates from APEC economies and guests. To demonstrate Macao's unique integration of Chinese and western cultures to the delegates from around the world, they will be greeted by a performance of Chinese-Portuguese drum ensemble. Booths will also be set up to showcase Chinese traditional handicrafts. During the dinner, a grand light show with famous tourist attractions of various APEC economies will be staged. An electrical lift podium is used for the TMM8, which can sense the heights and standing postures of the speakers, and automatically compute and adjust the level of the podium through an electrical system. Some 300 journalists representing 63 media organizations from 10 countries and regions have also registered to cover the TMM8. The organizer has set up a Media Center at the Conference Center of the Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central, Cotai Strip, which is equipped with 160 working seats for the journalists. The Media Center also provides a media conference area and interview rooms for their convenience.
…

The Vice Premier, Mr Wang Yang, will visit Macao on 12-13 September to attend the Eighth APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM8).
On the evening of 12 September, Mr Wang will attend the welcome dinner hosted by the Macao Government. The following day, he will attend the opening ceremony of the TMM8. Mr Wang will also meet with the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and the delegates before he returns to Beijing on the same day.
A total of 152 attendees, including the tourism ministers or representatives of 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperatioin (APEC) economies, delegates from the APEC Secretariat, the United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the Asia Pacific Travel Association (PATA), and the APEC Center for International Sustainable Tourism, have registered for the event.
…

To promote the development of Macao's music industry, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) launches the 2014 Subsidy Programme for the Production of Original Song Albums. Each subsidised song album will be granted a subsidy up to a maximum of MOP200,000. Applications are accepted from 29 September to 27 November 2014. Along with the development of Macao's cultural and creative industries, and with the far-reaching power of the internet, original Macao music has become more recognised in recent years and different genres of music have started revealing their appeal. This Subsidy Programme seeks to provide more opportunities for local music creators and producers to release their works and launch more quality works in the market. Applicants for the Programme must hold a valid Macao S.A.R. Permanent Resident Identity Card. S/he must assume the role of album producer of the project on behalf of individuals, co-producers or groups, being the person-in-charge of the subsidised project and executive music producer of the album. Applicants must have produced a specific amount of publicly published music or must have acquired experience as album producers. The applied album can be a solo, group or band album. The subsidy is granted to cover the production, cover design, marketing and promotion expenses. The run of the completed album should not be less than 500 copies and the album must have been published by at least one commercial digital music platform. Interested applicants must submit three "sample songs", proposals and related documents for selection which will be evaluated by an Adjudicating Panel including local and foreign professionals in music circles and which will select a maximum of eight applicants. The Programme's information, application rules and forms can be downloaded at the Cultural Affairs Bureau website (www.icm.gov.mo) and at the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries website (www.macaucci.com/en). Applicants should submit all required documents and music information to: Cultural Affairs Bureau - Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries (No. 567, Av. da Praia Grande, Edif. BNU, 12th floor A-D, Macao) during office hours. For enquiries, please contact Mr. Ho or Ms. Lao through tel. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
…

Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on over-the-counter drugs on 8 September 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) and is available in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For inquiry, please call the Council's hotline: 8988 9315.
…

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 8th Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM8), hosted by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and organized by the Macao Special Administration Region, will be held in Macao on 13 September. Delegates attending the event are arriving in Macao, and preparations have been completed regarding venue arrangements, hospitality for visiting delegations, media coverage and security work. A total of 152 attendees, including the tourism ministers or representatives of 21 APEC economies, delegates from the APEC Secretariat, the United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the Asia Pacific Travel Association (PATA), and the APEC Center for International Sustainable Tourism, have already registered for the event. Some 300 journalists from local, mainland China and overseas media organizations have also registered to cover the meeting. Prior to the opening of the TMM8, the APEC Tourism Working Group will hold a tourism workshop and the 45th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG45). During the Tourism Workshop held in the morning of 9 September, delegates from APEC economies will discuss topics related to integrated development of tourism and other industries, the use of technology for smart tourism, and connectivity issues. The TWG45 will be held on 10 and 11 September, during which China will brief delegates on its preparations for the TMM8, and exchange views with the attendees on issues of common concern. The Macao SAR Government will host the "Macao Night" – Welcome Dinner for the delegates from around the world on 12 September. The TMM8 will officially open at the Macao East Asian Games Dome in the morning of 13 September, and the Press Conference for Meeting Achievements will be held in the same afternoon. With the theme "Exploration of Asia Pacific Tourism Cooperation and Future Development", the five main topics for discussion during the meeting are related to exchanges between and discussions concerning integration of Asia Pacific tourism markets, facilitating transformation and growth of the tourism industry, promoting intelligent tourism with modern technology and interconnection of Asia Pacific travel, and encouraging low-carbon development and co-operation between tourism operators. The ministerial meeting will conclude with the announcement of "Macao Declaration", the event's key achievement.
…

The 26th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest started tonight (8 September) with the first team coming on stage from Taiwan, China. Their fireworks displays fascinated both local and foreign spectators in town. The 26th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is held at the seafront of Macau Tower between 8 September and 1 October. The contestant team dazzled the city skyline with spectacular fireworks this evening and filled the Mid-Autumn night with festive vibe. MGTO again requests the teams this year to choreograph their fireworks displays to both music and laser light projections so as to set off their display theme and enhance the audience's experience with a pyrotechnic extravaganza. Spectators can watch the live broadcast of the fireworks shows with background music on TDM – Macau Chinese TV Channel and TDM - Radio Macau's Chinese Channel (FM 100.7) each fireworks evening. Citizens and visitors are therefore given more choices to enjoy the contest. A mobile SMS game is also available to encourage locals' involvement in the event. Besides the annual Photo Contest for the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, the Office organizes a social network photo contest for the first time and welcomes local citizens to join this year. Participants can upload their works to the Facebook page "Happy moments under the fireworks" during 8 September and 5 October. For details about the contest, please visit https://www.facebook.com/macaufirework. Famous pyrotechnic companies came from around the world to join the past editions of Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, and the line-up is as strong this year. The ten teams come from Taiwan, China; China; Korea; Poland; Croatia; Portugal; Australia; France; Italy and Spain (according to the order in the contest program). Croatia and Poland are two countries joining the contest for the first time, while the pyrotechnic companies from Spain and Australia will make their debut in Macau. The first fireworks display starts at 9 p.m., followed by the second show at 9:40 p.m. Each display will last for 16 to 20 minutes. MGTO and the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau are joining hands again to present Fireworks Carnival 2014 at the open area next to Macau Tower during the fireworks evenings. The carnival starts from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. with stage shows and food stalls.
…

Vice Premier Mr Wang Yang today (8 September) received the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, in Xiamen, after the opening ceremony of the 18th China International Fair for Investment and Trade ("CIFIT"), held by the Ministry of Commerce. Mr Wang congratulated Mr Chui for being elected as the fourth Chief Executive of the Macao SAR. He also expressed interest regarding progress in cooperation between Macao and Hengqin. The Chief Executive thanked the Vice Premier for his congratulations. He said regional collaboration is critical to Macao, as many local small and medium enterprises are looking forward to investing in Hengqin's development. Mr Chui believes the development of Hengqin will promote adequate economic diversification in Macao. He said the future extension of opening hours for border crossings will benefit regional cooperation and development. Also attending the meeting were the Minister of Commerce, Mr Gao Hucheng; the Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr You Quan; the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Su Shulin; Macao's Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Victor Chan; the President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Jackson Chang; and the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng. In the morning, the delegation led by the Chief Executive had attended the opening ceremony of the CIFIT, which was officiated by the Vice Premier and member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Mr Wang Yang. After the opening ceremony of the Macao Pavilion, the Chief Executive and delegates were photographed with representatives of Macao entrepreneurs.
…

The Macao SAR Gazette today (8 September) published the Court of Final Appeal's announcement of the results of the election of the fourth Chief Executive of the Macao SAR. The general audit results of the election were confirmed, and Mr Chui Sai On was announced as the successful candidate. The election of the fourth Chief Executive of the Macao SAR was held on 31 August 2014. In consideration that no judicial appeal was sought within the statutory period, the Court of Final Appeal announced Mr Chui Sai On has become Chief Executive-elect according to the provisions of the Chief Executive Electoral Law, after completing the general audit of results. According to the results of the general audit for the Chief Executive election, there were 400 registered election committee members, 396 of whom were present to cast their votes. Mr Chui Sai On won 380 votes (95.96%). There were 13 blank and three void ballot papers. In accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, after the announcement of the successful candidate for the fourth Chief Executive, it has to be submitted to the Central People's Government for appointment. The term of office of the fourth Chief Executive will be from 20 December 2014 till 19 December 2019.
…