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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Stamp Vending Machine（ No.26） located at the arrival hall of the Macao International Airport will be suspended and removed on 12th September 2014.
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The 26th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will take place at the seafront of Macau Tower on 8, 13, 20 27 September and 1 October. Due to delays of transportation, the fireworks display of Mirnovec Pirotehnika d.o.o. from Croatia originally on 8 September is now rescheduled to 10:10 p.m. on 20 September; previously scheduled on 13 September, the fireworks show presented by the French company SODIP Pyrotechnie is now postponed to 10:10 p.m. on 27 September. Due to the above changes, there will only be one fireworks display on 8 and 13 September respectively, starting at 9 p.m. The updated program is announced for audience's kind attention. The latest contest program is uploaded to MGTO's website: http://fireworks.macautourism.gov.mo
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will lead an MSAR delegation to Xiamen, Fujian, to attend the 18th China International Fair for Investment and Trade ("CIFIT") from 7 to 9 September. Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and jointly organised by more than 50 ministries and commissions, provinces and municipalities – including the Macao SAR, CIFIT is China's biggest platform for attracting foreign capital and promoting international economic and trade cooperation. This year's CIFIT features three main categories of programmes: policy announcements, promotion of two-way investment, and seminars on investment trends. The highlight of this year's event is a summit titled "Open, Innovative, Win-Win: The Future of Global Economic Parks". The Chief Executive will attend the opening ceremony of the 18th CIFIT on 8 September, and will meet with leading officials of the People's Government of Fujian Province. Delegates accompanying the Chief Executive to Xiamen include the 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. During the Chief Executive's absence from Macao, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, will be acting Chief Executive.
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The Macao Youth Choir of the Macao Conservatory, institution under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), recently flew to Singapore in order to participate in the 1st Singapore International Choral Festival, under the leadership of the Conservatory's Music School Director, Liu Chang, conquering a gold medal in this four day long competition. In the year that marks the 15th anniversary of Macao's handover to China, the Macao Youth Choir celebrates its 10th anniversary, giving special significance to this invitation to represent the city and the remarkable result achieved in the event. Each choral ensemble competed and performed in several celebrated venues with strong artistic and cultural atmosphere, such as the Singapore Conference Hall and the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay complex. Participant groups, from over fifty countries and regions and comprising different age groups and ethnicities, came together to jointly establish an international choral art exchange platform. The Macao Youth Choir interpreted three different pieces, namely the religious Ave Maria, the Hungarian folk song Egyetem, Begyetem (Hippity, Hoppity) and the Chinese work Swallow, going through rigorous training and under the careful guidance of Conductor Liu Mingyan. Choir members put all efforts into their performances and showed remarkable singing techniques, thereby conquering a gold medal in the competition. The results for each ensemble were announced one by one by the emcee at the closing ceremony. The Macao participants, the second highest rated group in the competition, were greatly moved by coming first in the equal voices category, finally seeing their efforts throughout the years recognized in the international arena. The young singers believe that participation in this large scale competition will contribute not only to raise the level of the local choir but also to broaden each participant's international artistic horizons. In addition to participating in the contest, the Macao Youth Choir was further invited to perform outdoors, bringing choral chants to the population, earning enthusiastic applauses from residents and tourists, who praised the harmonious voices of the group. At the same time, competition producers expressed wishes to invite the choir to perform in Singapore again in the future. Liu Chang affirmed that not only did the organization and IC attach great importance to the success attained in the event, but also that said success depends on the parents' cooperation as well as the selfless dedication of the faculty. The Director of the School of Music further thanked all sectors of society for the recognition and support given to the Choir, hoping to have other future opportunities to represent Macao in overseas competitions, thus promoting the city's artistic and cultural characteristics. The Macao Youth Choir, established in 2004, aims to increase students' culture and music aesthetic appreciation as well as enrich their extracurricular life through basic knowledge acquisition on all music genres, choral singing and performance practice, providing its members a complete and healthy growth. The Choir has as main goal its development and establishment as a juvenile performing arts group representative of Macao, actively participating in concerts and competitions all over, achieving good results and earning praise from music professionals.
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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 increased at a faster pace than total deposits, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector rose from a month earlier. Money supply Currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 1.5% and 5.5% respectively. M1 thus increased 4.9% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities grew 0.7%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, increased 1.2% to MOP489.4 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 rose 12.2% and 19.2% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 24.6%, up 0.5 percentage points from a month ago but down 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier. The share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 49.9%, up 0.6 percentage points month-to-month but down 2.8 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits Resident deposits increased 1.2% from the preceding month to MOP479.6 billion. Of which, MOP deposits and HKD deposits increased at respective rates of 3.7% and 2.4% whereas other foreign currency deposits dropped 3.1%. Non-resident deposits rose 6.7% to MOP226.0 billion. Public sector deposits with the banking sector also increased 1.0% to MOP88.9 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector grew 2.7% from a month earlier to MOP794.4 billion. The shares of MOP and HKD in total deposits were 18.5% and 41.1% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector increased 2.9% from a month ago to MOP317.6 billion. Among which, MOP88.6 billion was MOP-denominated and MOP199.1 billion was denominated in HKD, representing 27.9% and 62.7% of the total respectively. On the other hand, external loans rose 3.6% to MOP336.6 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP and HKD accounted for 1.5% (MOP4.9 billion) and 23.1% (MOP77.7 billion) respectively. Loan-to-deposit ratios The loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector at end-July rose 1.0 percentage point from the previous month to 55.9%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors also grew by 0.5 percentage points to 82.3%.
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With the 26th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest coming up next week, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) once again joined hands with Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM) to present the "Macau International Fireworks Display Contest SMS Game", hoping to encourage more citizens to take part in the event. MGTO has lately noted citizens' feedback about mobile messages received regarding the aforementioned event's SMS game. MGTO and CTM carried it out as a promotion of the game. The messages were sent by CTM directly to its mobile service users, without MGTO accessing information related to CTM's mobile users. MGTO and CTM have co-launched the "Macau International Fireworks Display Contest SMS Game" for the public to elect their favorite fireworks team every year since 2010; earlier this year, MGTO also for the first time presented a SMS game for citizens to vote for their favorite local performing team in the "Joyous Celebration to the Bountiful Year of the Horse" – the grand outdoor festivities during Chinese New Year, with both initiatives having been well received.
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Consumer Council conducted its second 'Supermarket price survey' in September on 3 September for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets near Iao Hon Market and the Border Gate area (Portas do Cerco ) 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.
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