News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased by 2.43% year-on-year to 145.71, attributable to rising charges for restaurant services and dearer prices of local food products. Notable increase was observed in the price index of Restaurant Services (+8.48%); Food, Alcoholic Drinks & Tobacco (+6.22%); Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+5.28%); and Clothing & Footwear (+4.42%). On the contrary, price index of Hotel Accommodation decreased by 2.65% year-on-year. TPI for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased by 7.82% quarter-to-quarter. Soaring hotel room rates during the National Day holidays, the Macao Grand Prix and Christmas holidays pushed the price index of Accommodation up significantly by 24.43%. Price index of Clothing & Footwear; and Transport & Communications rose by 6.33% and 5.51% respectively upon new arrival of winter clothing, higher prices of ferry tickets to/from Hong Kong, and increased taxi fares. On the other hand, price index of Miscellaneous Goods; and Medicine & Personal Goods decreased by 1.67% and 0.45% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The average TPI for the whole year of 2014 (139.60) increased by 5.15% year-on-year, with marked increase being recorded in the price index of Accommodation (+8.73%); Restaurant Services (+6.37%); Clothing & Footwear (+5.73%); and Food, Alcoholic Drinks & Tobacco (+5.22%). Meanwhile, price index of Transport & Communications; and Miscellaneous Goods decreased by 0.82% and 0.57% respectively year-on-year. The 2009/2010-based TPI reflects the price change of goods and services purchased by visitors. Sections of TPI goods and services are selected according to the consumption pattern of visitors, namely Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco; Clothing & Footwear; Accommodation; Restaurant Services; Transport & Communications; Medicine & Personal Goods; Entertainment & Cultural Activities; and Miscellaneous Goods.
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Strengthening co-operation with regions in the Pan-Pearl River Delta is the most important feature in the Macao Special Administrative Government's proposals for the country's 13th five-year plan, according to the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. In the social and economic development blueprint for 2016-2020, the Government would press ahead on the collaboration projects with Nansha in Guangzhou and Hengqin in Zhuhai, he said. The Government was awaiting approval from the Central Government for further moves in the establishment of the Guangdong-Macao co-operation display zone, together with the Zhongshan government. Mr Chui, who is leading an official delegation on a four-day visit to Beijing, disclosed this today in a press briefing after visiting the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration of the Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Earlier today, Mr Chui met with the Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr Xu Xianping, and discussed issues on the development of the free trade zone in Guangdong. They also shared views on how to make best use of the country's initiatives, such as the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and its supplementary agreements, trade liberalisation and structural reforms, to further expand business network with Macao's small- and medium-sized enterprises. In the next five years, the Government would step up efforts to turn Macao into a world centre for tourism and leisure and a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, to bring in more innovative ideas to the projects. Mr Chui said he would meet with the officials of the Guangdong government soon to discuss issues on developing Hengqin and Nansha and the country's development direction. In a meeting with Mr Chui yesterday, officials of the Ministry of Commerce said Macao could strengthen its role as a platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries by not only fostering co-operations in commercial and trade services but also in the exchanges of cultural affairs. Later in the day, the delegation met with officials of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Mr Chui said he was pleased to see Central Government giving full support in Macao's efforts in diversifying the economy, such as offering professional education for the training of more personnel to meet the development needs in the emerging traditional Chinese medicine industry. When asked, Mr Chui said the Government had been studying its capacity to accommodate more visitors, adding it would strengthen the management of cross-boundary checkpoints, increase the number of hotel rooms, and enhance the transport networks and measures of crowd control on holidays. Officials of the delegation visiting Beijing with Mr Chui are the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms O Lam; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim and the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping.
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In ensuring the good use and discipline of purchasers on the issue date of the Label Stamp "Lunar Year of the Goat", apart from the automatic stamp vending machines located at the Macao Post Headquarters, the Maritime Ferry Terminal Post Office, the Red Market (Almirante Lacerda) Post Office, the Mong Ha Post Office, and the Communications Museum have new arrangement for using the vending machine within 10 minutes for each queuing customer, the automatic stamp vending machines located in the following locations will also have new arrangement: * Please find the attached file Thank you very much.
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The Heritage Foundation released today its 2015 Report on the Index of Economic Freedom, rating Macao's economy as "mostly free" for the seventh consecutive year. The SAR's overall score of economic freedom is 70.3, well above the world and regional averages, making its economy the 34th freest among 178 economies. In the Asia-Pacific region, Macao is ranked 9th out of 42 economies, just behind Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Chinese Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. Based on 10 attributes, the Report assesses the degree of economic freedom of individual economies around the world. Macao receives relatively high score in attributes such as government spending, trade freedom, investment freedom, monetary freedom, and fiscal freedom. The Foundation's 2015 Report says that Macao's long-standing history as a free port city and its openness to international trade and investment provide strong foundations for economic freedom. The judiciary largely respects property rights, and the government has stepped up anti–money laundering enforcement efforts. Taxes are low, and government spending is prudent. According to the Heritage Foundation, a higher level of economic freedom is not only associated with a higher level of per capita income but also promotes economic and social progress.
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Consumer Council conducted its seventh 'Supermarket price survey' in January on 26 January for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 12 supermarkets in Sé 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 over 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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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the unemployment rate (1.7%) and the underemployment rate (0.4%) for October-December 2014 held stable as September-November 2014. Total labour force increased to 405,500 and the labour force participation rate stood at 74.4%. Total employment reached 398,600, an increase of 2,400 from September-November 2014; employment in Construction went up by 2,200. Number of the unemployed was 7,000, up slightly by 100 from September-November 2014; fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 15.2% of the total unemployed, down by 5.1 percentage points. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the general unemployment rate (1.7%) remained unchanged as the previous quarter, while the unemployment rate of local residents (2.4%) edged up by 0.1 percentage point. Total employment increased by 6,500 quarter-to-quarter. Analysed by industry, employment in Gaming (87,000) rose by 5,500. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed (MOP14,000) and the employed residents (MOP16,000) increased by MOP1,000 and MOP400 respectively quarter-to-quarter. For the whole year of 2014, the general unemployment rate stood at 1.7% and the unemployment rate of local residents was 2.3%, both down by 0.1 percentage point year-on-year. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed amounted to MOP13,300, up by 10.8% year-on-year. As regards household employment, average number of employed persons per household was 1.8 in 2014, same as that in 2013; the median monthly employment earnings per household increased by 12.5% year-on-year to MOP27,000.
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The Government would bolster ties with national and international agencies to propel development in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a strategic step to adequately diversify the economy, said the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, in Beijing today. Further co-operation with the State Administration in development of TCM would help Macao to meet more international standards on research and quarantine, he said. Mr Chui, who is leading an official delegation on a four-day visit to Beijing, made these comments in a meeting with the Commissioner of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr Wang Guoqiang. He expressed his gratitude for the State Administration's long-term support in providing professional training to the practitioners, the establishment of a research centre in the University of Macau that offers postgraduate courses, and the establishment of the State Key Laboratory for Quality Research in Chinese Medicine in Macao. The Government would work closer with the Centre for Traditional Medicine, a joint project with the World Health Organization, and the other institutions involved in TCM research, to further distinguish Macao's unique position and features. As a clear direction to maintain long-term stability and prosperity, the Government would step up efforts to expand its economic scope and cultivate talents for the need of development. Thus, the Government retained tight co-operation with the neighbouring regions – Hengqin in Zhuhai, Cuiheng of Zhongshan and Nansha of Guangzhou – and initiated projects such as the Guangdong-Macao Chinese Medicine Technology Park and the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Industrial Park, he said. The Commissioner, Mr Wang Guoqiang, said Macao saw unprecedented opportunities in developing TCM, as President Xi Jinping and other state leaders had positively acknowledged. The country's strategy was to turn Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure and a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Wang said his department would spare no effort to work closely with the Macao government to promote exchanges in the industry. Officials also attended the meeting today were the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms O Lam; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim and the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping, together with leading officials of the State Administration. Prior to the meeting, Mr Chui also met with the Minister of Commerce, Mr Gao Hucheng and Vice Minister, Ms Gao Yan, to discuss issues on further promoting the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and its supplementary agreements, and strengthening personnel training in both Macao and the mainland.
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Consumer Council received a total of 6,981 cases last year; of which 1,668 cases were complaints, 5,250 cases were inquiries, and 63 cases were suggestions. The total number of cases of the top 5 categories of complaints amounted to 749, which was about 45 percent of the total. The top 5 categories were telecommunication services (220 cases), telecommunication equipment and supplies (208 cases), food and beverages (121 cases), electrical appliances (113 cases), and public transportation (87 cases). When compared the top 5 categories of complaints in 2013 with those in 2014, the top 4 categories remained unchanged, while the category of public transportation, which ranked the 5th in 2014, had replaced tourism. The number of cases received for each category and the total number of complaint cases received in 2014 were similar to those received in 2013. A detailed analysis of the number of cases received in 2014 will be published later by the Council in its monthly magazine Consumer Report.
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Macao Post announces that the issue date of the stamp issue "25 Years of AICEP" will be on 27th April 2015.
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Macao Post will issue an exquisite "Annual Album 2014" on 28th January 2015. The protective hardcover is printed with the lifelike horse, together with the hot foil stamping with golden words, bringing sense of simple and elegant. This album comprises the full collection of 13 sets of stamps and 11 souvenir sheets issued in 2014, on which the colour stamp images and the technical data are printed on the pages. This Annual Album 2014 will be available for sale at the Philatelic Shop of Macao Post Headquarters, "Rua do Campo" Post Office, Maritime Ferry Terminal Post Office, Airport Post Office, and the Communications Museum. The selling price is MOP418.00 each, it is certainly an excellent product, either as a collectable or as an elegant gift. Customers can also purchase the empty Annual Album, by which the purchased 2014 Macao's stamps and souvenir sheets can be protectively organized. Empty Annual Album is priced at MOP110.00.
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