News

The President, Mr Hu Jintao, has spoken highly of the performance of Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah in the past ten years. Speaking at a meeting at San Chok Un guesthouse at noon today, the President told Mr Ho: “Over the last 10 years, in your role as the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region – a role that is fraught with lofty missions and huge responsibilities – you have remained faithful to your duty, given your best efforts and stayed driven.” The President said Mr Ho had blazed many new trails for the implementation of the principle of “One country, two systems” in Macao, and stressed that the central government had thought highly of what he had done for Macao and the nation. The President said he hoped Mr Ho would remain interested in Macao’s development after leaving office, and support the administration of the incoming Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. For his part, Mr Ho thanked Mr Hu for his guidance and encouragement upon the 10th anniversary of Macao’s return to China. Mr Ho said he had learned from his decade-long experience that the motherland was the ultimate guarantee for Macao’s stability and prosperity. “In my capacity as Macao’s Chief Executive, I am honoured to be able to have done something for Macao and the nation. I will continue to do what I can for Macao and the nation in the future,” Mr Ho said.
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President Hu Jintao, accompanied by the Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today officiated the opening ceremony of the Macao Science Center. President Hu arrived on a special flight about noon. Accompanied by Mr Ho, President Hu unveiled the plaque at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by some 170 guests. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Ho said the opening of the Macao Science Centre symbolised the enforcement of science education that would allow teenagers to broaden their vision. He said the institution would not only become the base for popular science, but also an important platform for patriotism education. From its preparation to completion, the Central Government had given full support to the Macao Special Administrative Government which the citizens of Macao would never forget, he said. Mr Ho also expressed his appreciation towards Pei Partnership Architects and professionals who had contributed to the project. After the opening ceremony, President Hu and Mr Ho toured the centre. They visited the showpiece of Shenzhou-Seven and the exhibition hall of Macao’s Light Rapid Transit System. President Hu encouraged some 50 students when he was in the Science Express exhibition hall. “You are the hope and future of our country: I hope you love science, learn science and use science. You will become an innovative talent to service Macao and to service our country when you grow up.” Member of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor, Liu Yandong, the CPC Central Committee Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee General Office, Director of the National Archives, Ling Jihua, the CPC Central Committee Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the Policy Research Wang Huning, the Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress, Li Jianguo, the Vice-Chairman of CPPCC, Director of State Council of Hong Kong and Macao, Liao Hui, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region Bai Zhijian, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Lau Si Io and the President of the Macao Foundation Victor Ng. Macao Science Center is a multi-functional centre designed with three major objectives, namely education, tourism and conferences. It aims to stimulate and cultivate students’ interest in science and enhance public understanding of science and technology through interactive exhibitions and programmes offered at the Planetarium. It is adjacent to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Fisherman’s Wharf at the south-eastern corner of the Macao peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. Together with the Macao Cultural Center, Macao Museum of Art and other attractions, it forms one of the largest cultural and entertainment zones in Macao.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, according to the nomination of the Decoration Awards Committee, has signed administrative orders, conferring Decorations, Medals and Certificates of Merit to 51 individuals and entities in recognition of their outstanding achievements, contributions and distinguished services rendered to the Macao SAR, it was announced today. Decorations of Honour including the Decoration of Honour - Grand Lotus, the Decoration of Honour - Golden Lotus and the Decoration of Honour - Silver Lotus, are intended to award to individuals or entities that have make outstanding contributions to the image and reputation of the Macao SAR. The recipients are: Decoration of Honour - Grand Lotus Mr Lei Seng Chon Mr Hoi Sai Iun Decoration of Honour - Golden Lotus Mr Leong Heng Teng Mr Ho Iat Seng Mr Yeung Tsun Man Eric Decoration of Honour - Silver Lotus Mr Lam Kam Seng Ms Ng So Foon Seven types of Medals of Merit are awarded for: 1. The professions; 2. Industry and commerce; 3. Tourism; 4. Education; 5. Culture; 6. Philanthropy; and 7. Sport. Each of these categories of decorations is awarded to individuals or entities that have make major or excellent contributions in their respective fields The recipients are: Medal of Merit - Professions
Mr Wang Zhishi Ms Tou Wai Fong Mr Kou Chin Pang Mr Lok Weng Kan Medal of Merit - Industry and Commerce Mr Ho Fu Keong Mr U Kin Cho Ms Ng Kai Yin Catherine Mr Tsui Wai Kwan Ms Leong On Kei Medal of Merit - Tourism Mr Leong Chong In Shun Tak China Travel - Companhia de Gestão de Embarcações (Macau), Limitada Medal of Merit - Education Ms Ho Heong Peng Ms Lam Kim U Sister Lo Choi Keng Medal of Merit - Culture Mr So Shu Fai Ambrose Mr João António da Silva Madeira da Fonseca Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra Medal of Merit - Philanthropy Father Nicosia Gaetano Mr António José de Freitas Henry Fok Foundation Medal of Merit - Sport Mr Vong Siu Va Mr Lou Lan Fong Medals for Distinguished Services are awarded to public entities, organisations or their staff for outstanding performance of their duties or community service. The recipients are: Medal for Distinguished Service - Medal for Dedication Mr António Viseu Mr Kou Peng Keong Mr Leung Hio Ming Protocol and Public Relations of the Government Head Office Auxiliary Bureau Medal for Distinguished Service - Medal for Community Service Ms Lei Fong Ieng Mr Cheong Man Fun Certificates of Merit including the Honorific Title - Prestige and the Honorific Title – Merit, commend Macao SAR residents or other people who have made major contribution to the reputation, development or social progress of the MSAR. The recipients are: Honorific Title - Prestige Mr Ren Jinfang
Mr Li Haiying Honorific Title - Merit Ms Wang Junnam Mr Ng João Seng Hong Ms Lei Weng Si Ms Kou Man I Ms Hoi Long Ms Zhang Shaoling Ms Zhang Dan Ms Zhang Zhibo Mr Cheong Chi Fun Mr Van Ka Lok Ms Fong In Hong Ms Liu Xia Mr Lo Heng Kong Soler - Dino and Giulio The decorations, medals and certificates of merit awards ceremony will be held in early 2010.
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President Mr Hu Jintao is arriving tomorrow to officiate Sunday’s 10th Anniversary Celebrations of Macao’s Return to the Motherland and the Inauguration Ceremony of the Third-term MSAR Government. Soon after his arrival tomorrow, Mr Hu is scheduled to preside over the inauguration ceremony of Macao Science Centre and attend a welcome dinner hosted by the Macao SAR Government, and watch a cultural performance. After officiating the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of Macao’s Return to the Motherland and the Inauguration Ceremony of the Third-term MSAR Government, Mr Hu will inspect Chinese PLA Garrison Troops in Macao, and preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of University of Macau’s campus on Hengqin. Mr Hu will also meet representatives of people from all walks of life. To mark the 10th anniversary of Macao SAR, the Government will hold a string of celebrations, starting with the flag-raising ceremony at Golden Lotus Square at 8 am on Sunday, with a reception in the late afternoon. The Macao Sport Development Board will stage an Andy Lau concert at Macao Stadium to enable the public to share the joy of the anniversary. The Macau Government Tourist Office will hold a fireworks extravaganza that will light up the skies, at 9 pm. The 25 minutes display will be launched in seven locations simultaneously. Communities, associations and organisations in Macao have also organized events to mark this special day for the SAR. For imformation about the officials events, please visit http://www.macao10.gov.mo/.
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To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Macao’s return to China, the Government Information Bureau (GCS) of the Macao SAR has published a publication entitled Our First Decade, which depicts Macao’s development over the last decade. Compiled in Chinese, Portuguese and English languages, the 125-page publication is enriched by 208 photographs, and consists of six parts: Message from the Chief Executive; Our Joys; Loving Our Country; Building a Home Together; Our Everyday Lives; and Our Heritage. The publication makes use of pictures to tell the story of Macao’s growth in political, economic and social terms based on the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Macao people governing Macao” and a high degree of autonomy. Macao has seen great changes in the past decade. In a bid to capture these changes, the GCS has sifted through thousands of pictures for the best ones that can resonate with the general public. The compilation of Our First Decade intends to use pictures of Macao and its people to visually and vividly portray the growth of Macao through the eyes of ordinary citizens.
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Vice Premier Mr Li Keqiang announced in Zhuhai today the official start of construction work on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Wang Yang; the Governor of Guangdong, Mr Huang Huahua; the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr Donald Tsang Yam-kuen; the Chief Executive of Macao, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah; the Third-term Chief Executive of Macao, Mr Chui Sai On, and the Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr Zhang Xiaoqiang. Before the start of the ceremony, Mr Li met Mr Ho and Mr Chui, and other officiating guests. Delivering a speech at the ceremony, Mr Ho described Guangdong and Hong Kong as Macao’s most important partners in regional co-operation. He said he believed the bridge would greatly enhance transport in the Pearl River Delta Region and the integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Mr Ho expressed gratitude to the governments and people of Guangdong and Hong Kong for their support of Macao. After the ceremony, the guests boarded a ferry to inspect the construction of the project.
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For two successive events, since the launched in 2008, 2008MIECF and 2009MIECF (Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition) is growing from strength to strength and earned the acclaim of both local and international participants. We are glad to inform you that the 3rd edition of MIECF is scheduled for 8 – 10 April, 2010. The 2010MIECF Event Manager is inviting interested service providers to participate in Part II of Open Tenders, for appointment of service contracts. The range of services being tendered for are:
§ In-bound Logistic Co-ordinator (Deadline: 23 December 2009) § Public Relations Services – Part II (Deadline: 30 December 2009) Interested parties are welcome to submit their tenders before the mentioned deadlines. Full information on the tender procedures and specifications can be obtained form the website at www.macaomiecf.com.
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The English edition of Macao Yearbook 2009, an annual publication compiled by the Government Information Bureau (GCS) of the Macao SAR, is launched today (17 December 2009). It is divided into five sections: Administrative Priorities of the MSAR Government; Calendar of Events; Review of the MSAR; Overview of the MSAR; and Appendices. The English edition of Macao Yearbook 2009 comprises 661 pages and is enriched by 178 photographs. Consisting of 16 chapters, the Overview of the MSAR presents information on the political and administrative system; legal and judicial system; external relations; economy; gaming industry; tourism; public order; education; culture and sport; health and social welfare; media, communications and information technology; land, infrastructure, housing and public utilities; transport; geography, environment and population; religion and customs; and history. The Macao Yearbook 2009, together with a complimentary CD-ROM containing the PDF version of the yearbook, can be purchased at the following places at 120 patacas or 120 Hong Kong dollars per copy at a later date: major local bookstores and Government’s Public Information Centre at Rua do Campo; and the Macao Post Office (Macao Post)’s Philatelic Division, Rua do Campo Branch, Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal Branch, Macau International Airport Branch, and Nova Taipa Branch. During the promotional period lasting until 31 March 2010, a 20-percent discount will be offered to any purchase of Macao Yearbook 2009. The Chinese and Portuguese editions of Macao Yearbook 2009 were launched earlier in November.
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The Monetary Authority of Macao releases today the balance of payments (BOP) statistics of Macao SAR for the reference year 2008. The internationally recognised statistics were compiled according to the guidelines published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the Balance of Payments Manual, Fifth Edition, as well as relevant technical advices with respect to Macao from the IMF. The BOP is a statistical statement that summarises external transactions of an economy with the rest of the world. The BOP of Macao SAR consists of current account, non-reserve capital and financial account and change in reserve assets. The BOP statistics enables a better understanding of Macao's overall external transactions, and facilitates policy analysis as well as comprehensive assessments of the economic and financial stability of the SAR. In 2008, Macao's overall BOP recorded a surplus of MOP18.2 billion. Among the major components, the current account registered a surplus of MOP46.6 billion. The capital account had a net inflow of MOP3.2 billion, and the financial non-reserve assets showed a net reduction of MOP26.6 billion. Although the visible trade deficit, valued in f.o.b., widened to MOP41.9 billion, rising tourism receipts boosted the invisible trade surplus considerably to offset the bigger deficit in merchandise trade and the marked increase in net outflow of factor income. The current account surplus therefore reached MOP46.6 billion, up by MOP1.4 billion from the revised surplus of MOP45.2 billion in 2007. The economy of Macao contracted significantly in the fourth quarter of 2008 as against the global financial tsunami. Imports of goods, valued in f.o.b., fell slightly by 1.8% year-on-year, but exports of goods plunged notably by 21.4% due to the continued decline in textiles and garment exports. Hence, deficit in the goods account widened from MOP38.6 billion in 2007 to MOP41.9 billion in 2008. Surplus in the services account, however, rose from MOP89.6 billion to MOP112.1 billion. Travel services surplus rose by 28.2% to MOP130.0 billion whereas transportation and other services together recorded a deficit of MOP17.9 billion. The income account, which reflects the net external factor income, recorded a net outflow of MOP17.1 billion in 2008, up substantially from a net outflow of MOP1.3 billion in 2007. This stemmed mainly from an increase in factor income outflow upon strong growth in income earned by foreign direct investors in Macao, as well as a decrease in factor income inflow resulting from the loss in outward direct investment and shrinking income from other investment. Factor income inflow and outflow amounted to MOP13.3 billion and MOP30.4 billion respectively. The largest item of the outflow was earnings of foreign direct investors, amounting to MOP22.0 billion, while payments of securities and other investment totalled MOP6.9 billion. Current transfers, which include mainly inflow and outflow of workers’ remittances as well as donations received/made by local social service organisations with respect to the rest of the world, recorded a net outflow of MOP6.4 billion in 2008, an increase of MOP1.9 billion over one year earlier. Net inflow in the capital account increased from MOP2.6 billion in 2007 to MOP3.2 billion in 2008 mainly due to an increase in inflow of non-government capital transfers. Net financial non-reserve assets registered a net inflow of MOP26.6 billion, down from MOP55.6 billion in 2007. This was caused mainly by the slowdown in inward direct investment, with the net inflow declining from MOP40.1 billion in 2007 to MOP28.0 billion in 2008, as well as the decline in net inflow of other investment from MOP25.2 billion to MOP10.0 billion. Concurrently, portfolio investment recorded a net outflow of MOP11.1 billion as against MOP10.1 billion in 2007, while financial derivatives changed from a net inflow of MOP0.4 billion to a net outflow of MOP0.2 billion. The account of reserve assets in the BOP statistics records the net change in foreign currency assets (excluding the SAR Reserve Fund) held by the Monetary Authority of Macao. In 2008, reserve assets (after price, exchange rate and other adjustments) increased by MOP18.2 billion, as compared with an accumulation of MOP28.2 billion in 2007. The BOP statistics for the year 2008 are preliminary estimates. Figures in individual components are subject to revision later when more information becomes available.
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The Macao Museum under the Cultural Affairs Bureau and its affiliated galleries, including the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre, the Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business “Tak Seng On”, and the Mount Fortress Corridor, will remain open as usual during the holidays of the Establishment Day of the Macao SAR, the Winter Solstice, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Residents and tourists are welcome to visit the Museum and its galleries during the aforementioned holidays. Macao Museum will open to the public for free on the Establishment Day of the Macao SAR on Sunday 20th December 2009. In order to meet the needs of visitors, the Winter Solstice on the 22nd (Tuesday), the Christmas holidays on the 24th and 25th (Thursday and Friday), and New Year’s Day on 1st January 2010 (Friday) will open as usual. In addition to the permanent exhibitions presented by the Museum, residents and tourists may enjoy the temporary exhibition “Red Years – Exhibition of Photographs by Zheng Jingkang”, which is currently on display. The exhibition showcases photographs featuring the Sino-Japanese War during the 1940s on 20th Century, the War of Liberation, and the peaceful period from the founding of the PRC to the 1960s taken by Zheng Jingkang - the accomplished first-generation professional photographer of the New China - whose photograph was used as the template for a huge oil portrait of Chairman Mao that hangs from the Tian’anmen rostrum. The Macao Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am to 6:00pm, and closes every Monday. Ticket sales close at 5:30pm. For opening hours of all affiliated galleries and details of the above exhibition, the public may contact 2835 7911 during office hours or visit www.macaumuseum.gov.mo.
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