News

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, has returned to Macao after leading an official delegation to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 19-22 June, to strengthen co-operation in tourism, education and personnel training. The Macao Government have started to work with Xinjiang Govenrment on various projects since 2000. Therefore, Mr Chui is scheduled to Xingjiang every year with officials from the education and tourism sectors, to discuss joint plans. The Macao delegation visited several departments, such as health, tourism and education, to exchange views on co-operation as well as updating them on the latest developments of Macao. During the meeting, Mr Chui invited Xinjiang health sector officials to visit Macao. They also agreed to step up training for medical professionals.
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Macau Government Tourist Office will open a new information counter at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf to provide tourism information for visitors at the spot. The information counter will start operating tomorrow (June 28). The new MGTO Information Counter is located at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf (Shop 17, Roman Amphitheater, S.N Avn. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Macau). This is the 7th MGTO Information Counter in the city, with opening hours: 10:00-13:00; 14:00-18:00. In addition, the information counter at the Ruins of St. Paul’s will be moved to the Macau Tourism and Cultural Activities Centre. The seven MGTO Information Counters are located at Senado Square, Macau Ferry Terminal, Border Gate Checkpoint, Guia Lighthouse, Macau Tourism and Cultural Activities Centre, Macau International Airport and Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.
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In accordance with the year plan approved by the “Facilitation and Security Committee” at the beginning of 2006, the Macau International Airport (MIA) conducted an exercise of “Unlawful Seizure of an Aircraft” from 12:00am to 05:00am in the early morning of 26 June. The exercise simulated the scenario of an unlawful seizure of an aircraft by some passengers. The airport then declared emergency and all relevant parties got ready. The exercise was a form of joint training to assess the effectiveness of the security procedures and contingency plans. In addition, it also aimed at emphasizing the vital role played by the aviation security personnels in maintaining a safe and efficient operating environment for civil aviation. Coordinated by Public Security Forces, the exercise involved the participation of Unitary Police Service, Macao Customs, Public Security Coordination Office, Judiciary Police, Port Authority, Health Bureau, Fire Brigade, Civil Aviation Authority, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd., ADA-Administration of Airports, Ltd., Macau Security Company Ltd., Air Macau Company Ltd., Menzies Macau Aviation Services and so on. More than 100 people took part in it. Carried out every year in MIA, the security exercise helps to enhance the ability of the participants to deal with aviation security emergencies, ensuring that MIA is a reliably safe international airport.
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(Macao 19 June 2006)The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and the President of European Commission, Mr José Barroso, agreed at a meeting today to further strengthen European Union (EU)-Macao relationship. Mr Ho, who began his official visit to the EU and Belgium this morning (Brussels time), met with Mr Barroso at the headquarters of the European Commission. Mr Ho said after the meeting that they have reviewed EU-Macao co-operation over the years and had agreed to strengthen co-operation in the environmental protection industry. He said some EU member-countries were keen to capitalise on the mediating function of Macao and the Pan-Pearl River Delta regional co-operation scheme, to enter the environmental protection industry in the Mainland, in which Macao would play a more active role in the future. Currently about five European countries were involved in public utilities in Macao, such as water supply, electricity and water treatment, and the SAR Government hoped that by inviting these enterprises to increase their participation in the SAR, Macao could be helpful as the platform to the South China market.
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(Macao 19 June 2006) The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and the Minister of Finance of Belgium, Mr. Didier Reynders have signed a double taxation exemption agreement on behalf of the two governments in Brussels today. Mr Ho, who is in Brussels on his official visit to the European Union and Belgium, met with Mr Reynders before signing the agreement, which stipulated that residents of the Macao SAR and citizens of Belgium would be exempt from double taxation on real estate, business incomes, interests, pension, and income from assets. The agreement also closed possible loopholes for tax evasion. Mr. Reynders said he was glad with the agreement as it provided more opportunities for Belgian enterprises to enter the Chinese market through Macao. In response, Mr Ho said the agreement could also help Macao enterprises to enter the EU market through Belgium, whose economic development was dynamic. He said Belgium Macao co-operation would be strengthened upon the existing foundation. In the afternoon (Brussels time), Mr Ho met with the Director General for External Relations of the European Commission, Mr Eneko Landaburu. Mr Ho and his delegation will attend a banquet hosted by the China’s Ambassador to Belgium, Ms Zhang Qiyue, and the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union.
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(Macao 20 June 2006)The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said today (Brussels time) after a visit to the European Parliament that he would invite the members of the parliament to visit Macao to further strengthen Europe-Macao relations. Mr Ho began the second day of his official visit to the European Union and Belgium with meetings with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Mr Guy Verhofstadt over breakfast, followed by a walk in the Central Plaza of Brussels. Later, Mr Ho attended a luncheon hosted by the Portuguese members of the European Parliament. He spend the afternoon visiting the European Parliament, and held meetings with the Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with China, Mr Dirk Sterckx; member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, Mr Bastiaan Belder; and the Vice President of the European Parliament, Mr Alejo Vidal-Quadras. Mr Ho said after the meeting that he had briefed his Europe counterparts on Macao’s latest development and the implementation of “One Country, Two Systems” principle in the SAR. He said that Both Macao and the European Parliament had the will to carry out a programme of friendly communication between the parliament and Macao, which was proposed by the Portuguese members of the European Parliament two years ago, but had never been realised due to a number of reasons and the election of the parliament. He said the programme allowed the SAR Government to invite the members of the European Parliament to visit Macao, which would definitely promote mutual understanding between Macao and Europe and strengthen relations. Later in the afternoon, Mr Ho and the Flemish Minister for Public Works, Energy, the Environment and Nature, Mr Kris Peeters, attended the signing ceremony of a co-operation agreement between Waterleau Global Water Technology NV, ATAL Engineering Limited and China Engineer and Construction Company (Macao). The three companies had formed a joint venture, which had won the bid for the expansion of the Coloane Water Treatment Plant in Macao. The Belgian company, Waterleau, was the developer of the Lucas System, which is the main technical solution for the project. Mr Ho will end his visit in Brussels and begin the second leg of his European visit in Portugal.
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(Macao 21 June 2006)The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, has arrived in Lisbon this morning (Lisbon time) to begin the second leg of his European visit. China’s Ambassador to Portugal, Mr Ma Enhan and the Portuguese Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Mr Manuel Heitor greeted Mr Ho upon his arrival. Soon afterward, Mr Ho paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Lisbon, Mr António Carmona Rodrigues, who hosted a luncheon for Mr Ho and the Macao SAR Government delegation that Mr Ho is leading. Mr Ho said after the meeting that both Macao and Portugal were willing to strengthen economic and trade relations and the visit would promote bilateral links which would in turn encourage entrepreneurs to look for new opportunities. Mr Ho said he believed both governments would work on this in the future, but then it would depend very much on the market and entrepreneurs. On the issue of democratic development in Macao, he said Macao was a place that embraces both Chinese and Western cultures, and that it has a unique democratic and tolerant atmosphere. He said the way of life in Macao was valued and secured by the Basic Law. In the afternoon, Mr Ho met with the Portuguese Minister of Science and Technology, Mr José Mariano Gago, and the Portuguese Minister of Economy and Innovation of Portugal, Mr Manuel Pinho. He also attended the signing ceremony of two co-operation agreements at the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Portugal. The first agreement was signed by the Macao Chamber of Commerce and the Organising committee for the Macanese entrepreneurs Association of Portugal, and the second one by the Casa de Macao in Portugal and the Macanese Education Promotion Association. In the evening, Mr Ho and the delegation attended a banquet hosted by the Sino-Portuguese Commerce and Industry Association. Mr Ho is scheduled to meet the country’s president, Mr Aníbal Cavaco Silva, and the Prime Minister, Mr José Sócrates, tomorrow.
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(Macao 23 June 2006) The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah today (Lisbon time) met with the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Mr Diogo Freitas do Amaral. Mr Ho and Mr Amaral spoke to the press after the meeting, and both concurred that Macao would in the future continue to serve as the platform between China and Portugal, as well as other European countries. Mr Amaral said he was glad to receive the highest executive of Macao, a territory that had links with Portugal for many years and that Portugal have the strengthen to intensify political, economic and cultural relations with Macao. Mr Ho said he was grateful for the hospitality of the Portuguese Government during his second visit to the country as the Chief Executive of Macao, and also grateful for Portugal’s support to the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and that he believe the second Forum, which is to be held in Macao in September, would be a definite success with Portugal’s support. During the meeting, they signed a tax exemption agreement for representative offices and delegations in each other’s territory. Afterward, Mr Ho met with the President of the National Assembly of Portugal, Mr Jaime Gama and attended a luncheon hosted by Mr Gama. In the afternoon, Mr Ho met with the Minister of Public Works, Transports and Communications of Portugal. Mr Mário Lino. In the evening, Mr Ho will host a reception at the Ritz Hotel in Lisbon and later attend a banquet hosted by the Ambassador of China to Portugal, Mr Ma Enhan. Mr Ho ‘s official visit to Portugal ends tomorrow (24 June).
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(22 June 2006)The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today (Lisbon time) continued on the second leg of his European visit, to Portugal. This morning he met with the President of Portugal, Mr Aníbal Cavaco Silva, and attended a luncheon hosted by Mr Silva. In the afternoon, he met Portugal’s Prime Minister, Mr. José Sócrates, and the Minister of Education, Ms Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues. Mr Ho said after the meetings that the Portuguese President and the Prime Minister both emphasised the importance of Sino-Portuguese relations and the links between Macao and Portugal forged by their history. He said that both sides had expressed the will to capitalise on Macao’s mediating role between China and Portugal, and help Portuguese entrepreneurs to enter the China market. Ho said he believed after the current visit that both Macao and Portugal would be more active in making the best out of Macao’s special role. Concerning the plan for an event to be held jointly by China and the European Union in Macao in 2007, Mr Ho said that activity would highlight Macao’s mediating role. He said the SAR Government would make policies that could strengthen Macao’s link with Portuguese-speaking countries and some European countries through the ties with Portugal. On the meeting with Ms Rodrigues, Mr Ho said both sides had agreed on some principles about the Portuguese School in Macao: the SAR Government was concerned about the rebuilding of the school and would co-operate with is best effort. He said the SAR Government would ensure sure that the location of the new school building would not cause traffic inconvenience or contradict with the Government’s cultural and heritage policy, or posed a threat to Macao’s World Heritage sites.
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Information from Statistics and Census Service indicated that the Composite CPI for May 2006 was 108.16, up by 0.56% over April, which was primarily attributable to the increase in the price indices of Housing & fuels; Communication; and Food & non-alcoholic beverages. Compared with April 2006, the indices of Communication; Clothing & footwear; and Housing & fuels rose by 3.79%, 1.89% and 0.71% respectively. The increment was led by the rising long-distance call (IDD) charges after the end of the discount offered, which was coupled with the price increase in women’s clothing and higher rentals for housing. The price index of Food & non-alcoholic beverages, which contributes more significantly to the movements of the overall index due to its relative importance, increased by 0.45% as a result of the dearer prices of vegetables after heavy rains. Recreation & culture, however, was the only section that recorded a decrease of 1.11% in the index, on account of lower outbound package tour charges after the Easter holidays. The Composite CPI for May 2006 registered a year-on-year increase of 6.33%. Average Composite CPI for January to May went up by 5.82% compared with the same period of 2005. For the 12 months ended May 2006, the average Composite CPI increased by 5.44% over the previous period. In addition, the CPI-A and CPI-B for May 2006 were 109.10 and 107.91, up by 0.61% and 0.55% respectively compared with April. Starting from January 2006, the CPI has been rebased to July 2004 to June 2005. The Composite CPI reflects the impacts of price changes for the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 49% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP 3,000 to MOP 9,999; the CPI-B relates to about 31% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP 10,000 to MOP 19,999.
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