News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that visitor arrivals decreased by 4.2% year-on-year to 2,444,264 in July 2012; same-day visitors (1,196,291) accounted for 48.9% of the total. The average length of stay of visitors stood at 1.0 day, down by 0.1 day year-on-year, with the overnight and same-day visitors staying 1.8 days and 0.2 day respectively. Analysed by place of residence, visitors from Mainland China decreased slightly by 0.3% year-on-year to 1,456,351, coming mostly from Guangdong Province (683,285), Fujian Province (70,439) and Zhejiang Province (56,937); Mainland visitors travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme rose by 4.1% to 643,147. Visitors from the Republic of Korea (36,030) and Japan (35,132) increased by 2.0% and 20.1% year-on-year respectively, while those from Hong Kong (639,580) and Taiwan, China (112,263) both registered a decrease of 11.1%. Long-haul visitors from the Americas (25,648), Europe (19,085) and Oceania (9,209) also decreased by 7.5%, 7.6% and 9.4% respectively. In the first seven months of 2012, visitor arrivals totalled 16,021,978 but the rate of increase narrowed to 1.4% year-on-year. Visitors from Mainland China (9,567,563), the Republic of Korea (250,815) and Japan (241,265) increased by 7.1%, 8.7% and 15.6% respectively. On the contrary, visitors from Hong Kong (4,113,909) and Taiwan, China (613,654) decreased by 7.4% and 15.5% respectively.
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According to the statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, the proportion of international business in the local banking sector contracted slightly in the second quarter of 2012. At end-June 2012, the share of international assets in total banking assets dropped to 83.3% from 84.1% at end-March 2012, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities shrank to 80.2% from 80.8%. Foreign currencies were the dominant denomination in international banking transactions. At end-June 2012, the shares of Pataca (MOP) in total international assets and total international liabilities were 0.4% and 1.7% respectively. Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and Other Foreign Currencies (OFCs) accounted for 37.5% and 62.2% of total international assets as well as 45.2% and 53.0% of total international liabilities respectively. International Banking Assets
At end-June 2012, total international assets went up by 2.1% from a quarter earlier or 13.2% from a year ago to MOP610.9 billion (USD76.4 billion). Within this total, external assets and local assets in foreign currencies expanded year-on-year by 13.6% to MOP467.3 billion and 11.9% to MOP143.6 billion respectively. As a major component of international assets, external loans & deposits increased by 12.5% to MOP437.0 billion. In particular, cross-border non-bank loans expanded by 27.1%. International Banking Liabilities
Total international liabilities advanced by 2.4% from three months ago or 17.8% year-on-year to MOP587.9 billion (USD73.6 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies grew year-on-year by 14.8% to MOP316.3 billion and 21.5% to MOP271.6 billion respectively. Foreign currency deposits held by residents continued to form a major component of international liabilities. This type of deposits grew by 20.5% to MOP250.0 billion at end-June 2012 from MOP207.5 billion at end-June 2011. Concurrently, overseas non-bank deposits increased by 36.6%. Breakdown of External Banking Assets and Liabilities by Region
The majority of external assets and liabilities were related to the regions of Asia and Europe. At end-June 2012, claims on Hong Kong and Mainland China occupied 33.7% and 27.1% of total external assets respectively, while claims on Portugal and Luxembourg took up 10.3% and 2.6% correspondingly. On external liabilities, Hong Kong and Japan accounted for 43.5% and 12.5% of the total respectively while France and Portugal took up respective shares of 5.0% and 2.5%. The compilation of International Banking Statistics follows the methodology advocated by the Bank for International Settlements in order to facilitate Macao SAR's participation in the "Locational International Banking Statistics" project of the international organisation.
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24th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will be held at the sea area in front of the Macau Tower on September 8, 15, 22, 29 and October 1. Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is organized by Macau Government Tourist Office. During the press conference, Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, João Manuel Costa Antunes introduced the situation of the contest this year. Director João Manuel Costa Antunes expressed that Macau International Fireworks Display Contest has reached the 24th this year; he was delighted that the contest has lighted up the Macau sky with dazzling fireworks for the past 23 years, bestowing unforgettable and beautiful memories upon both visitors and citizens. Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will be marching into the celebration of silver anniversary next year. He stated that in order to enhance spectators' enjoyment of the contest and to enrich the performance elements of the fireworks, MGTO will raise the subsidy given to the participating teams for fireworks materials by 25%, i.e. up to USD25,000, starting this year, while also increasing the correspondent support for fireworks materials delivery expense. Furthermore, to celebrate the silver anniversary for Macau International Fireworks Display Contest next year, MGTO will organize the Trophy Design Contest, which will not only foster participation and a deeper sense of involvement among the public but also inspire creativity among local design talents. 24th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will be held at the sea area in front of the Macau Tower between September 8 and October 1. Among the show days, October 1 is China's National Day, on which the contest will feature the fireworks teams from Italy and Mainland China. Over the past years, there were world-acclaimed fireworks companies participating in the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. The 10 teams which are taking part in the contest this year include (in the contest order) Korea; Thailand; Taiwan, China; United States; Portugal; France; Japan; Australia; Italy and Mainland China. Among the contestant teams, the fireworks companies from France and Italy are staging their first performance in the contest. Coming on stage the first time, The French fireworks company, Lacroix-Ruggieri prides itself on over 250 years of pyrotechnic experience, being the authority among its trade in Europe. The company made a special effort in studying and developing fireworks colors and new performances effects, and won the champion in the World Fireworks Championship in 2010. Another new team this year is Orzella Fireworks, an Italian fireworks company established in 1884 and devoted to creations which combine fireworks effects and music for years. The other 8 teams took part in the Macau fireworks display contest before, with many of them awarded in top ranks. Once the third winner in the contest, Foti International Fireworks Pty Ltd. is the largest fireworks manufacturer and displaying team in Australia and hosted the fireworks performance during the opening and closing ceremony of Sydney Olympics as well as the New Year Eve fireworks show in Sydney. Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co., Ltd. from Japan took part in the Macau contest twice, winning the first and third place individually. The team is renowned for its hand-made spherical fireworks, and staged over 200 performances in 47 countries and regions in the past 60 years, thus very rich in experience. The fireworks company from United States, Pyro Spectaculars by Souza once took part and won the second place in the Macau contest. Moreover, the team has done worldwide performance, including three Olympic Games and the World Cup 2002. On the other hand, Pirotecnia Minhota, Lda. from Portugal is one of the earliest teams which participated in the Macau contest and once the first winner, while it is the third time for the winner in title of the contest Panda Fireworks Group Co. Ltd from Mainland China to join the competition. The fireworks teams from Korea, Thailand and Taiwan, China are also joining the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest this year again. All the teams will compete against each other to put on a myriad of magnificent fireworks, making beautiful memories for visitors and citizens. Each participating team is requested again this year to complement their display with music to enthrall the audience with a light and sound spectacular. To enhance the enjoyment, the organizer will install sound systems at the waterfront of the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza, at the Macau Tower Street seaside and at the square in front of Kun Iam Statue on Ave. Dr Sun Yat Sen so that the public can enjoy synchronized music to the spectacular displays. Spectators are able to listen to live music of the fireworks displays through TDM - Radio Macau's Chinese Channel live broadcast at FM100.7. MGTO has joined hands with Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM) since 2010 to co-launch "Macau International Fireworks Display Contest SMS Game". The game has gained positive feedbacks with 1120 and 1986 text messages received in 2010 and 2011 respectively. MGTO will continue its cooperation with CTM to jointly present the SMS Game this year in order to foster citizens' participation in the event. During the contest period, CTM will send out text messages to their mobile subscribers and introduce the game, in addition to promoting the SMS game on the MGTO and CTM websites. Macau citizens can send a text message to CTM through their mobile to vote for their favorite team after each night of fireworks display. Citizens who have voted for the most popular team on that night are eligible for the lucky draw which will grant one winner with two sets of reservoir stand tickets for the 59th Macau Grand Prix (Saturday and Sunday) and souvenir. The 5 fireworks teams who get the most SMS votes will be awarded with "The People's Choice" certificates and souvenirs. Nevertheless, the voting result will not affect the jury's decision on the fireworks display contest. MGTO will also post web banners on CTM's website to enhance the promotion efficiency. MGTO is striving to present the world's most prominent international fireworks display, an annual spectacular attraction visitors can't miss, while actively promoting the fireworks display contest this year through various international, regional and local media promotion channels, including advertisements broadcast through international media in neighboring regions, promotion through primary media and travel magazines as well as poster and leaflet distribution. MGTO and the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau will jointly present the Fireworks Carnival to add more fun and colors to the fireworks display nights and to reinforce the reputation of Macau as a remarkable travel destination. Last year, over 25,000 individuals attended the Fireworks Carnival which lasted for 5 days. In order to capture the spectacular sceneries of the fireworks display contest, photography and drawing competitions will be held again this year. This year, MGTO will add new categories to Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Student Drawing Competition and Photo Competition. Besides the two existing categories, a new category of 15 – 18 years old will be added to the student drawing competition; in this new category, first, second and third prizes as well as 2 outstanding awards and 10 consolation prizes will be awarded likewise. On the other hand, a high-school and college student category of 17 – 24 years old will be added to the Photo Competition besides the existing public category and similarly, first, second and third prizes as well as 4 outstanding awards and 10 consolation prizes will be awarded in the new category. In the newly-launched Trophy Design Contest, first, second and third prizes will be awarded. In addition, the award-winning works may be used as the design of real trophies given to the firework teams in commemoration. The three competitions accept applications effective from today. The award ceremony of the last Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Student Drawing Competition and Photo Competition will take place on August 30.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Composite CPI (117.54) for July 2012 increased by 6.04% year-on-year, attributable to rising charges for meals bought away from home and dearer prices of vegetable. For the 12 months ended July 2012, the average Composite CPI increased by 6.45% from the preceding period; the average CPI-A and CPI-B also rose by 6.45% and 6.67% respectively. In comparison with July 2011, notable increase was observed in the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+32.47%); Housing & Fuels (+8.36%); and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+8.20%) on account of dearer prices of vegetable and rising charges for meals bought away from home; however, price index of Communication decreased by 6.53%. The CPI-A (117.05) and CPI-B (118.11) increased by 6.40% and 6.24% respectively year-on-year. The Composite CPI increased by 0.37% month-to-month, higher charges for out-patient services, outbound package tours, taxi fare and airfare pushed up the price index of Health; Recreation & Culture; and Transport by 1.36%, 1.23% and 1.14% respectively. On the contrary, price index of Clothing & Footwear fell by 1.96% upon seasonal sale of Summer clothing. The CPI-A and CPI-B increased by 0.42% and 0.31% month-to-month. The average Composite CPI for the first seven months of 2012 increased by 6.37% year-on-year, of which the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+29.66%); and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+9.34%) saw noticeable increase, while that of Communication decreased by 6.50%. The CPI-A and CPI-B for the first seven months of 2012 rose by 6.53% and 6.62% respectively year-on-year. The 2008/2009-based Composite CPI reflects the impact of price changes on the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 50% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP6,000 to MOP18,999. The CPI-B relates to about 30% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP19,000 to MOP34,999.
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Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organised by Casa de Portugal in Macao, the exhibition From East to West – The Wonderful World of Puppets is now open to the public at Tap Seac Gallery. This event showcases more than 140 puppets from the collection of Portuguese puppetry specialist Elisa Vilaça. The collection has been amassed since the 1980s and gathers puppets from many parts of the world including Mainland China, Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand, as well as the United Kingdom, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Brazil. It offers visitors a more complete understanding of this traditional craft through the varied approaches taken by artisans with diverse cultural backgrounds. Born in 1955 in Porto, Portugal, Elisa Vilaça has a Master's Degree in Portuguese Studies with a speciality in History and is currently studying for her doctoral degree in Museology. Over the last 30 years, her professional career has been related to education, and puppets have always served as an educational tool in her teaching. Having resided in Macao between 1982 and 2002, she returned to the territory in October 2011 to implement a project of her design for the creation of a "Macao Puppet Museum". The origins of her puppet collection can be traced back to her childhood, when the fascination she felt seeing these inanimate objects come to life began. She hopes this exhibition will impart to the public a better and broader understanding of this ancient tradition. The exhibition route takes visitors "from East to West", highlighting the development of the puppet craft with a view to the historical, cultural and geographical backgrounds of the various countries of origin. It introduces exhibition-goers to the various types of puppets – glove, string, rod and shadow – produced through the integration of painting and sculptural techniques and using a comprehensive range of materials. The exhibition treats these objects as a bridge between the various cultures of our world, stimulating the creativity and imagination of viewers. Present at the opening ceremony, that took place Friday the 17th, were the Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao S.A.R., Zhang Xiaoguang; the Deputy Director-General of the International Organizations and Legal Affairs Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao S.A.R., Zhang Yunfei; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Ung Vai Meng; the President of the Casa de Portugal in Macao, Maria Amélia António; and the puppet collector of this exhibition, Maria Elisa da Rocha Vilaça. Together with this exhibition, a finger puppet workshop will be available for ages 16 or above, on August 23rd and 24th, from 3pm to 5pm, at Casa de Portugal's studio at Avenida do Dr. Francisco Vieira Machado, Edf. Industrial Nam Fung 13/D. A finger puppet performance will also be held at Tap Seac Gallery on August 25th, at 7pm. For more information and registration, please call 8399 6699 during office hours. The exhibition From East to West – The Wonderful World of Puppets runs until October 14th at Tap Seac Gallery, daily from 10am to 7pm. Admission is free.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, new approvals of residential mortgage loans (RMLs) and commercial real estate loans (CRELs) rose in June 2012. With regard to outstanding balance, RMLs rose while CRELs edged down. New Lending Approved In June 2012, new RMLs approved by Macao banks edged up 0.9% month-to-month to MOP4.0 billion; of which, 94.1% was extended to residents. In terms of value, new RMLs to residents edged down 0.6% whereas those to non-residents rose 32.2%. New RMLs collateralised by uncompleted units (i.e. equitable mortgage) dropped 6.1% month-to-month to MOP145.1 million. All newly approved equitable mortgage was extended to residents. New CRELs increased month-to-month by 11.1% to MOP2.2 billion; of which, 91.5% was granted to residents. In terms of value, new CRELs to residents rose 4.8% whereas those to non-residents grew notably by 214.7% from one month earlier. Outstanding Balances As at end-June 2012, the outstanding value of RMLs reached MOP83.6 billion, an increase of 3.2% from one month earlier. The resident component made up 92.6% of the total. Outstanding RMLs to residents and non-residents grew by 3.2% and 2.9% respectively. Concurrently, the outstanding value of CRELs dropped 0.2% from end-May to MOP62.7 billion. Residents accounted for 90.2% of the loans. Compared with one month earlier, outstanding CRELs to residents edged down 0.3% whereas those to non-residents grew 0.9%. Delinquency Ratios At the end of June 2012, the delinquency ratio for RMLs remained unchanged from end-May at 0.07%. The ratio for CRELs edged up 0.01 percentage point to 0.10%.
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The working group on food prices released its latest specific price survey on dairy products. Survey result showed that prices of the 16 surveyed products were similar to the data recorded in June, but consumers need to pay attention to various price differences of products. The working group on food prices collected 16 brands of dairy products from 18 retail outlets on 16th August. A general price difference of 20 to 30 percent was recorded in most surveyed items. 'Pura UHT Milk (paper pack) (1L)', which was sold at $14.0 to $23.5, recorded the greatest price difference of about 67 percent; 'Pauls Milk - Pure Milk (paper pack) (1L)', which was sold at $15.9 to $24.0, recorded a price difference of around 51 percent. Consumers are advised to check with the survey data to make practical consumption. The specific price survey on dairy products is now available on the Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that value of retail sales for the second quarter of 2012 totalled MOP 12.74 billion, up by 30% year-on-year. Retail sales of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery amounted to MOP 4.10 billion (32% of total), which was followed by retail sales of Goods in Department Stores (13%), Leather Goods (10%), Adults' Clothing (8%), Motor Vehicles (7%) and Goods in Supermarkets (6%). Value of retail sales for the second quarter decreased by 3% compared with the revised figure (MOP 13.16 billion) of the first quarter, with marked decrease being observed in sales of Adults' Clothing (-24%), Communication Equipment (-20%), Leather Goods (-11%) and Goods in Department Stores (-10%); however, retail sales of Motor Vehicles soared by 27%. Value of retail sales for the first half year of 2012 reached MOP 25.91 billion, up significantly by 31% year-on-year, of which noticeable increase was seen in sales of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+49%), Motor Vehicles (+36%), Adults' Clothing (+29%) and Goods in Department Stores (+28%). After removing the effect of price changes, volume of retail sales for the second quarter increased by 22% year-on-year, with notable increase in sales of Motor Vehicles (+63%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+39%) and Communication Equipment (+24%). Volume of retail sales decreased by 4% quarter-to-quarter, with sales of Adults' Clothing (-22%), Communication Equipment (-15%), Leather Goods (-14%) and Goods in Supermarkets (-10%) posting the greatest decline. Volume of retail sales registered an increase of 21% year-on-year in the first half year of 2012. In respect of the comments of the retailers, about 65% stated that sales volume in the second quarter increased or held stable over the previous quarter, up by 11 percentage points compared with those holding the same sentiment in the first quarter, while 35% reported a decrease in sales volume. In terms of the retail prices, about 67% reported stable prices, 26% stated an increase and 7% reported a decrease. In comparison with the same quarter of 2011, about 71% expressed that the stock level was normal in the second quarter, while 18% indicated that the stock level was low. As regards the business outlook for the third quarter, about 81% anticipate that sales volume will increase or remain stable from the second quarter, while 19% expect a decrease. Concurrently, about 77% predict stable retail prices, 14% predict an increase while 9% predict a decrease in retail prices.
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STAMP FESTIVAL, 2012 – DON'T MISS OUR ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES, LET'S HAVE A FUN AND RELAXING TOUR AT THE MUSEUM! Communications Museum is going to organize the Stamp Festival, 2012 from August till the end of this year. Stamp Festival, 2012 - Among the different activities, adults and kids can play the Funny Stamp Chess at the entrance hall. The Museum will invite visiting students to dress up the pillar box by putting stamps on it. From September 1 to October 4, the public can guess the total number of stamps on the pillar box. The five winners who can guess the correct quantity or made the closest estimate can get stamp album and philatelic book. Please feel free to view the latest photos of the pillar box on the Museum website. There is no restriction on age and the number of votes. Furthermore, the Stamping Fun spots are located at different areas inside the Museum. Have fun stamping and collect your happy moments at the Museum! In the temporary exhibition gallery of the Museum, the 3-Dimensional Stamps shows distinct stamps made of special materials or techniques. Visitors can, therefore, appreciate stamps from different angles. Apart from seeing, they can hear, smell and use their hands to feel these stamps that are made of special materials instead of just a piece of paper. The same gallery also exhibits stamps that are awarded with International Awards and Coin Covers of the United Kingdom. Coin cover is a kind of philatelic product with a coin on it. These exhibited coin covers are co-issued by the Royal Mail and the Royal Mint, and applied with special datemark of origin on the commemorative stamps. There is also special guided tour service for the stamp exhibitions. Please feel free to book! There are many activities suitable for different age groups during the Stamp Festival. The first one is The 18th International Postage Stamp Design Contest. Communications Museum will provide collecting services for the entries of Macao participants before 20 September. The themes of this year are "New Year Greetings" and "Energy Conservation", and participants can join the Youth or University /General categories. Winning designs of the Grand Prize and Gold Prize will be issued as stamps by Korea Post. In addition, participants who submitted their works through Communication Museum and who win the Grand Prize or Gold Prize will be granted the Macau-Korea round-trip air ticket as sponsored by Macao Post to attend the awards ceremony in Korea. Families and groups of friends are welcomed to join the Mailbox Painting Workshop with the theme "Love and Blessings". Registration is now open till 13 September. Each group of participants will be provided with a metallic mailbox, painting colors and tools to design and paint their mailboxes in the Museum. The finished works will be kept and exhibited by the Museum. Winners of the best three works will be invited to join "A Tour at Hong Kong Museums" on 11 November 2012, with sponsored ferry tickets, transportation, lunch and insurance. They will visit the The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China's First Emperor exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History and Hong Kong Science Museum. Science and Arts Activities for Primary Students, 2012 – Component Revamp, which is jointly organized by the Macau Society of Biomedical Engineering and Communications Museum, will be held on 6 October. The purpose is to encourage Primary 4 to 6 students to understand science and technology in our daily life so as to increase their initiative of "Dare to experiment. Dare to discover". Individuals or groups of 2 students are welcomed to register before 27 September. During the activity, they will use different electric components to design and create a 3-dimensional object. Beginners are welcomed to sign up for the free "Tools Training Class" in September. Schools are also welcomed to book the training class. Winners of the three best works and their supervisors will also be invited to join "A Tour at Hong Kong Museums" on 11 November. Creative Storytelling Challenge – Story on the Stamps, which is jointly organized by the Macao Central Library and Communications Museum, will be held on 1 December. The objective is to encourage youth to make use of the resources in libraries and museums for information gathering and problem solving. From now till 15 November, Primary 1 to 4 students are welcomed to register for the Cantonese or Putonghua Category. They will create and tell their stories on stamps with selected topics. The topic selections for Primary 1 and 2 students are "Lunar Year of the Dragon", "Giant Pandas" and "Love and Blessings"; whereas those for Primary 4 and 5 students are "Watching Over a Stump Waiting for a Rabbit" of "Idiom – Watching Over a Stump, Waiting for a Rabbit", "Macao World Heritage – Ruins of St. Paul" and "Scenes of Daily Life in the Past – Mr. Postman". The three winners and their supervisors will be invited to join "A Tour at Hong Kong Museums" on 27 January 2013. They will visit the Hong Kong Museum of History and Hong Kong Science Museum. For details of activities and registration forms of the Stamp Festival, 2012, please feel free to visit the Museum website or register online.
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The Macao SAR Government said today it was pleased to see the release of 14 Chinese nationals, including a Macao resident who were illegally detained by Japan for landing on one of the Diaoyu Islands on Wednesday. This was stated by a statement issued by the Government Spokesman Office. The statement also said that it was pleased to know that the Macao resident can safely leave Japan today. "Diaoyu Islands and its islets have been China's inherent territory since ancient times, and the SAR Government firmly supports any action of the country in safeguarding the sovereignty", the statement emphasised. The Government expressed gratitude to the efforts made by the Ministry of Feoreign Affairs and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Macao in helping secure the release of the Macao resident, the statement added.
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