News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the total land area measured 29.9 km2 in 2012 and the population density stood at 19,000 per km2. Total lane length of public roads was 417.4 km and the motor vehicle density was 521 vehicles per km. In 2012, the mean air temperature (22.3ºC) registered a 0.4ºC rise year-on-year. Precipitation totalled 1,556 mm, up by 14.1% year-on-year. There were 73 days where the pH value of rainwater was lower than 5.6 (classified as acid rain). In 2012, the ultraviolet index staying at Low to Moderate level totalled 335 days, down by 2 days year-on-year. As regards air quality, the Northern District monitoring station recorded 251 days where air quality was considered "Good", down notably by 43 days year-on-year. There were 2 days in 2012 where the observed value of respirable suspended particulates (diameter <10 microns) exceeded the reference standard; moreover, since the release of data on fine suspended particulates in July 2012, a total of 32 days were recorded where the observed value of fine suspended particulates (diameter <2.5 microns) were higher than the reference standard. Water consumption totalled 84.58 million m3 in 2012, up by 9.0% year-on-year. Quality of the potable water distribution network and water treatment plants conformed to the reference standard. Volume of domestic garbage (183,000 tonnes) and garbage of the business sector (107,000 tonnes) increased by 10.3% and 9.7% year-on-year. A total of 366,000 tonnes of garbage were sent to the Incineration Plant, up by 11.1% year-on-year; construction waste sent to the landfill surged by 49.6% to 2,420,000 m3. Besides, the Waste Water Treatment Plants were able to treat 203,000 m3 of waste water per day, up by 9.4% year-on-year.
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Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on over-the-counter drugs on 23rd May for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12th 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.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total spending of visitors (excluding gaming expenses) amounted to MOP14.5 billion in the first quarter of 2013, up by 10% in comparison with MOP13.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012. Spending of overnight visitors totalled MOP12.2 billion and that of same-day visitors was MOP2.3 billion. In the first quarter of 2013, per-capita spending of visitors was MOP2,046, an increase of 8% year-on-year. Visitors from Mainland China had the highest per-capita spending of MOP2,640, and those travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) spent MOP2,993; besides, per-capita spending of visitors from Singapore stood at MOP1,692. As regards long-haul visitors, Australian and American visitors had a relatively high per-capita spending of MOP1,228 and MOP1,214 respectively. Analysed by expenditure structure, visitors spent mainly on Shopping (50%); Accommodation (23%); and Food & Beverage (20%). Shopping items included Clothing (22%), Local Food Products (20%) and Jewellery & Watches (19%). Per-capita shopping spending of Mainland visitors was MOP1,521, while that of IVS visitors reached MOP1,974, which was mainly spent on Clothing, Jewellery & Watches and Local Food Products. Moreover, expenditure of long haul visitors was mainly spent on Accommodation and Food & Beverage. In the first quarter of 2013, per-capita spending of overnight visitors increased by 6% year-on-year to MOP3,574, whereas that of same-day visitors decreased by 5% to MOP632. Per-capita spending of overnight and same-day Mainland visitors amounted to MOP4,688 and MOP789 respectively, while that of overnight and same-day IVS visitors reached MOP5,312 and MOP1,307. In addition, results from the Visitors' Comments Survey indicated that most visitors were satisfied with the services rendered by hotels and travel agencies (each with 93%). Meanwhile, 6% of the visitor-users suggested that the services of public transport should be improved, and 5% of the visitors commented that points of tourist attractions were inadequate in Macao.
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The 24th Macao Arts Festival (MAF) enters its third week with two highly anticipated shows. The Dóci Papiaçám di Macau Drama Group takes to the stage once more at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium on May 25th and 26th, Saturday and Sunday, at 8pm, with a new work titled Amochai Divoto. Performed by local amateur actors, this play gives a humorous portrayal of the relationship between Ernesto and Amália, united by love but kept apart by their families, traditional rivals in every aspect, including politics. Aiming to preserve Macao's Patuá, a language identified as critically endangered by UNESCO, the Dóci Papiaçám di Macau Drama Group offers audiences another of their riotous annual theatrical productions. Not to be missed, this social satire will prompt laughter while also providing food for thought. Audiovisual Mapping is also back in town, returning in the wake of enormously successful presentations in 2011. The creators of these shows were invited by the Cultural Affairs Bureau to offer an intensive, three-part mapping workshop in Macao this past winter. The course graduates will now present the local community with two of their own new works, specially designed for the façades of Tap Seac Square (May 26-29) and the Mandarin's House (May 31 – June 8, admission with free ticket to be distributed at 7pm at the venue, limited to 100 tickets per show and two tickets per person, due to the venue's limited space), with shows at 8:00, 8:30 and 9:00pm (shows will be cancelled in the event of rain at 7pm on the referred evening; announcements will be made at IC's website and FAM page). Tickets for the 24th Macao Arts Festival are still available, in limited numbers, at all Kong Seng Ticketing Network outlets. Telephone bookings may be made on 2855 5555. For more information please check the MAF website at: www.icm.gov.mo/fam.
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To provide local groups with an additional performance platform and another opportunity for creative expression, the Cultural Affairs Bureau is calling for the participation of Macao talent in the 2013 'Parade through Macao, Latin City'. Submissions will be accepted from today until the 28th of June, and all interested local groups are welcome to apply. The 'Parade through Macao, Latin City' is a cultural event that unfolds as a procession through the streets of the Historic Centre of Macao. It is held annually, on the 20th of December, to mark the anniversary of Macao's Handover to China, offering residents and tourists a celebratory activity replete with local and international cultural characteristics. Whilst honouring the occasion of the Handover with creativity and enriching the lives of residents, it also establishes the image of Macao as that of a cultural city. The 'Parade through Macao, Latin City' has gradually emerged as a flagship event among Macao's festivals. Each year it encourages an increasing number of local groups to display their creative talent and hone their competitive edge, with the goal of promoting the development and diversity of Macao's culture and creating the opportunity for Macao's performers to observe and conduct mutual exchange with various international groups. Any local group registered with the Identification Services Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region may submit an application form, programme proposals and related information to the Cultural Affairs Bureau building in Tap Seac Square from today until the 28th of June (Monday through Friday except public holidays: 9:30am to 5:30pm). Application forms and regulations can be consulted and downloaded on the Cultural Affairs Bureau website. Please direct any inquiries to (853) 8399 6608 or 8399 6651 during office hours.
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The Conference on International Judicial Cooperation, being part of the 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, will take place from 9:00 to 17:45, on the 28th and 29th of May, in the Conference Room of the Macao Cultural Centre, located at Avenida Xian Xing Hai, NAPE. The event is organized by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre. This conference aims at providing a platform for legal practitioners, experts and scholars from Mainland China, Macao, Hong Kong and Europe for exchanging views, promoting mutual understanding and enabling the exchange of best practice in the area of international judicial cooperation. This meeting will focus on the following topics: • Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters - Combat against the Crime of Money Laundering;
• Practical Experience in the Combat against the Crime of Money Laundering;
• International Cooperation in Recovering Proceeds of Crime;
• International Cooperation towards the Seizure and Confiscation of Criminal Assets in the Framework of the UN Convention of December, 15th 2000;
• The Hague Conference: Promoting Cooperation on Civil and Commercial Law Matters in the Asia-Pacific Region;
• Synopsis of International and Regional Legal Assistance in Civil Matters;
• Development and Change of the Enforcement of International Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters;
• Judicial Cooperation in Civil Matters - an European Union Perspective. This initiative will have eight exchange sessions / discussions as well as experts coming from Mainland China, Macao, Hong Kong, England, France, Netherlands and Portugal. The conference will be conducted in Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese and English with simultaneous translation. The 2nd Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, which incorporates this conference, has as its main objective the "Consolidation of the Macao Legal System" and is going to take place until December 2013. The execution of the Co-operation Programme is coordinated by the Law Reform and International Law Bureau, together with many entities and public departments of the Macao SAR, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Economic Services, the Financial Services Bureau and the Institute of European Studies of Macao.
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Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has announced that it gives the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR)'s long term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings at "AA-". The credit rating for the MSAR is based on its stable fiscal and external payment conditions, as well as the vast revenues arising from its tourism-oriented economy and its fiscal surplus. For details, please visit the following website:
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/detail.cfm?pr_id=791742&origin=home
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that visitor arrivals totalled 2,398,340 in April 2013, up slightly by 0.7% year-on-year; same-day visitors accounted for 51.7% of the total, at 1,238,786. In April 2013, visitors from Mainland China increased by 10.4% year-on-year to 1,536,262, mainly coming from Guangdong Province (647,340) and Fujian Province (65,463); Mainland visitors travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) totalled 613,876. Moreover, visitors from the Republic of Korea (30,616) and Thailand (27,173) increased by 8.9% and 20.0% year-on-year, while those from Hong Kong (538,663) and Taiwan, China (81,607) decreased by 17.7% and 4.8%. Long-haul visitors from the US (15,768), Australia (9,968) and Canada (6,821) decreased by 9.8%, 7.6% and 9.1% respectively year-on-year, whereas those from the Russian Federation (2,726) registered an increase of 21.1%. The average length of stay of visitors stood at 1.0 day in April 2013, down by 0.1 day year-on-year. Overnight and same-day visitors had an average stay of 1.8 days and 0.2 day respectively. In the first four months of 2013, visitor arrivals receded to a 1.6% increase year-on-year, at 9,474,782; with same-day visitors accounting for 51.9% of the total. Visitors from Mainland China increased by 5.9% year-on-year to 5,950,456, while those from Hong Kong (2,262,993) and Taiwan, China (320,195) decreased by 4.7% and 4.6% respectively. Moreover, long-haul visitors from the US (58,622), Australia (38,770) and Canada (24,563) all registered year-on-year declines.
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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 increased in the first quarter of 2013. At end-March 2013, the share of international assets in total banking assets advanced to 84.2% from 83.4% at end-2012, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities went up to 80.8% from 79.9%. Foreign currencies were the dominant denomination in international banking transactions. At end-March 2013, the shares of Pataca (MOP) in total international assets and total international liabilities were 0.5% and 3.4% respectively. Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and Other Foreign Currencies (OFCs) accounted for 36.4% and 63.1% of total international assets as well as 49.2% and 47.4% of total international liabilities respectively. International Banking Assets
At end-March 2013, total international assets grew by 8.7% from a quarter ago or 20.7% from a year earlier to MOP722.0 billion (USD90.3 billion). Within this total, external assets increased by 23.7% year-on-year to MOP569.5 billion while local assets in foreign currencies also expanded by 10.7% to MOP152.6 billion. As a major component of international assets, external loans & deposits advanced by 23.0% to MOP530.2 billion. In particular, cross-border non-bank loans went up by 40.9%. International Banking Liabilities
Total international liabilities increased by 8.9% from three months ago or 20.6% year-on-year to MOP692.3 billion (USD86.6 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies grew year-on-year by 11.7% to MOP349.4 billion and 31.2% to MOP342.9 billion respectively. Foreign currency deposits held by residents and the MSAR government continued to form a major component of international liabilities. This type of deposits grew by 31.2% to MOP323.2 billion at end-March 2013 from MOP246.4 billion at end-March 2012. 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-March 2013, claims on Hong Kong and Mainland China occupied 32.5% and 30.0% of total external assets correspondingly, while claims on Portugal and Luxembourg took up 10.1% and 2.1% respectively. On external liabilities, Hong Kong and Mainland China accounted for 50.0% and 23.2% of the total respectively while Portugal and France took up respective shares of 4.9% and 4.7%. 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. For enquiry, please contact:
Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao
(Tel：8395 2532; Fax：2835 3042)
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In order for local hospitality professionals to better understand one of the most promising wine producing countries of the world – Portugal and its grapes varieties, wine production methods and wine styles, Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) held a wine seminar: Wine Producing Countries of the World: Portugal at IFT Wine & Tea Room at 1500 on 22 May, 2013. Renowned Wine Master João Paulo Martins was invited to be the speaker of the seminar, which attracted forty local sommeliers and food and beverage managers to participate. A variety of special wines from Portugal were selected for the tasting session, in order to allow the participants to further understand the wine characters of this promising old world wine country. Mr. João Paulo Martins is one of the most renowned Portuguese Wine Critics. Having being a journalist and working in the wine press since 1989, he is also the editor of Revista de Vinhos - Wine Magazine and keeps an opinion column in Expresso, the most important and influential Portuguese weekly. In addition, Mr. Martins has been writing for a wine guide Wines of Portugal for 19 years, and wrote a book on the modern gastronomy in Portugal with renowned Chef Vitor Sobral. Furthermore, he runs wine tasting courses and workshops on Portuguese wines in Brazil, Angola, Macao and Belgium, as well as participates as a jury member in international wine competitions in Belgium, Brazil, South Africa, Spain and Chile. Co-organised by ViniPortugal, the outline of the seminar includes general introduction of Portugal, climatic influences & Terroir, wine regions, grapes varieties, Portuguese wine styles, Portuguese wines & gastronomy followed by a wine tasting session.
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