News

The Macao Economic Services will deploy the Internet search of trademark registration records service on February 1st, 2005. This will allow the public to receive Trademark registration information through the Internet without limitation of time and space. The execution of the above-mentioned service will provide convenience to those who are interested in registering a trademark in Macau through shortening of the registration time, thus promoting the development of Industrial Property Rights of Macau SAR. Registering for an Industrial Property Right Protection is receiving more and more attention from the business society. Before an applicant applies for an Industrial Property Right registration, it is common for him to consult with the relevant organization for trademark information. The applicant can then avoid his trademark registration being refused due to similarities with other registered marks. As the number trademark registrations continue to increase, the Macau Economic Services provide the Internet search of trademark registration in response to the needs of applicants. This also soothes the workload of attending the public of our frontline workers, which permits a better allocation of human resources as well as increasing job efficiencies. Starting the 1st of next month, the public could access the Macao Economic Services at “http://www.economia.gov.mo” to search for trademark registration record in Macao SAR. The information from our computer system offers basic details on registered trademarks as well as trademarks that are undergoing the application process in our department. Users can search for trademark records with the use of various keyword search functions, allowing them to receive the appropriate information in a speedy manner.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah said today co-operation between Macao and Guangxi has moved one step up and he was looking forward to more results under the joint efforts of both governments. Mr Ho was speaking in the afternoon in Nanning, the regional capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where he led an official delegation to attend the “Guangxi-Macao High-ranking Officials Meeting”. The delegation, which include high ranking MSAR officials and some 110 businessmen, were on the first day of their four-day official visit to the region, at the invitation of the regional government. Mr Ho said in their new phase of development, Guangxi and Macao were complementing one another and could further co-operate in a broader scope, including tourism and trade which had already shown new growth. The new arrangements which came with CEPA would give a new boost to the economic development of Macao and create new opportunities for enterprises from both sides, he said. “Guangxi, in addition to its world renowned tourism, has the strategic position of of being close to Asean, rich natural resources and enjoy many favourable policies, Mr Ho said. “Its contribution to the establishment of the China-Asean free trade zone provides Macao with new opportunities to form ties with Asean countries. Its active participation in the Pan-Pearl River Delta regional co-operation is also a drive for Guangxi-Macao co-operation. “The Macao SAR Government is willing to do the best to capitalise on its advantage to complement the development of Guangxi,” he said. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam, briefed the participants of the meeting on the recent development of Macao. Mr Tam said that the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement between the Mainland and Macao (CEPA) was a new opportunity to promote Guangxi-Macao co-operation, which had a great outlook as both sides have their own advantages which complemented one another. He said the MSAR welcomed Guangxi enterprises to set up in Macao, to use Macao as a springboard to Portuguese-speaking countries and to capitalise on Macao’s advantage as a free port.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah and his delegation arrived Guangxi this morning on a four-day official visit. In the afternoon, they met with Guangxi government leaders and attended a trade fair to promote the business environment of Macao. The Secretary for Economy and Finance of the MSAR, Mr Francis Tam, delivered an address. Mr Tam said the links between Macao and Guangxi have been enhanced since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR). Both Macao and Guangxi had competitive edges and the future of their partnership would be bright, he said. Mr Tam said Guangxi benefited by the policies of the Central Government, while Macao had convenient links with foreign countries, especially the Portuguese-speaking ones. He said the MSAR government was forging links with Macao as a regional business platform and he invited Guangxi businesses to join hands with Macao. Mr Edmund Ho will meet with the Secretary of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee, Mr Cao Bochun, and the Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Lu Bing, before attending a banquet hosted by the Guangxi leaders. The members of the delegation are scheduled to visit Fang Chenggang, Liuzhou, and Guilin in the next two days. They are to visit some ports, ferry terminals, companies and tourist attractions. Mr Ho and the delegation are scheduled to return to Macao on Saturday.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, leaves tomorrow Wednesday (26 January) on a four-day visit to Guangxi, at the invitation of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government. Mr Ho is scheduled to meet with the secretary of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee, Mr Cao Bochun, and the Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Lu Bing, during the visit. The delegation, which includes about 110 representatives from the business sector, will also visit Nanning, Liuzhou, Fang Chenggang and Guilin. They are scheduled to return to Macao on Saturday (29 January). Members of the official delegation include the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen; the Vice Chairman of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Lau Cheok Va; members of the Executive Council, Mr Tong Chi Kin, Mr Ma Lao Lai, Mr Lam Heong Sang; the Chief of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Ho Veng On; the Chief of the Office of the Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim; the Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office, Mr João Costa Antunes; the President of the Civic & Municipal Affairs Bureau, Mr Lau Si Lo; the president of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Lee Peng Hong; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Victor Chan; the Director of the Cultural Institute, Ms Heidi Ho; the Co-ordinator of the Supporting Office to the Secretariat of China & Portuguese-speaking Countries Economic Co-operation Forum (Macao), Ms Rita Botelho dos Santos; the Director of the Office of the MSAR in Beijing, Mr Ng Pak Meng; and the General Secretary of the Economic Committee, Mr Peter Lio.
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Beginning tomorrow, January 24, at 6.30 pm, in the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 18th floor) is the Seminar on “Consumer Rights: New Developments in Europe”. Conducted by Prof. Dr. Ewoud Hondius, Professor of Civil Law of the Faculty of Law at the University of Utrecht, Holland, this training course is part of the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao. The seminar is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and will take place in the course of a week until the next 28 January. During the five sessions, more than three dozens of local legal advisors will follow the speaker’s interventions on “Consumer Law and Competition Law”, “Unfair Trade Practices and Contract Terms”, “Product Liability and Medical Liability”, “Consumer Sales and Services”, and “Consumer Redress”. The Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, which incorporates this seminar, has as its main objective the “Consolidation of the Macao Legal System” and is in the last part of its third year, taking place until the beginning of the year 2006. The total budget for the programme is of 1.980.000 euros, shared in equal parts by the European Union and Macao. The co-ordination of the Co-operation Programme is at the responsibility of the International Law Office, being the organization of the pertaining actions ensured by several other entities of the MSAR’s Government, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Economic Services and the Institute of European Studies, other than the International Law Office itself.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, has accorded honours and awards to 33 people and organisations. The presentation ceremony was held today in the cultural centre. This year's recipients are from all walks of life. They have been honoured or awarded in recognition of their significant contribution to Macao or for their dedicated public and community service. The Medals of Honour are awarded to outstanding individuals and organisations for their contribution to the image, reputation and development of the MSAR. Recipients are: Lau Cheok Va (Grand Lotus); Yuen Tze Wing (Silver Lotus); Tong Kin Mao (Silver Lotus); Fung Kam Hee (Silver Lotus). The Medal of Merit, in seven categories including Profession, Industry and Commerce, Tourism, Education, Culture, Altruism and Sport are given to the outstanding individual and organisation that have distinguished service in promoting the development of the relevant sectors in Macao. Recipients are: Wong Nim Lai (Profession); Chui Sai Peng, José (Profession); Joaquim Jorge Perestrelo Neto Valente (Profession); Associação de Gestão (Management) de Macau (Profession); Ho Teng at (Industry and Commerce); Wong Chi Seng (Industry and Commerce); Lau Veng Seng (Industry and Commerce); Fundação da Deusa A-Má de Macau (Tourism); Associação dos Comerciantes de Peixe Fresco de Macau (Macao Fresh Fish Merchant Association) (Tourism); Lam Hin Fu (Education); Wu Yee Ching (Education); Ao Cam Iong (Education); Ieong Sao Leng (Education ); Lei Kun Teng (Culture); Chau Si Lei (Culture); António Fernandes (Altuism); Clínica dos Operários (Altuism); Iau Mou Pong (Sport); Autómóvel Clube de Macau (China) (Macao Automobile Club (China)) (Sport). Distinguish Service Medal is given to outstanding individual and organisation for their fulfillment in duty. Recipients are: Pedro Amado Vizeu (Dedication); Kong Iun Choi (Dedication); Banda de Música da Polícia de Segurança Publica (Public Security Police Band) (Dedication). Commendations, of Prestige and of Merit are given to the individuals who have contributed in the development of MSAR. Recipients are: David Tavares Lopes (Prestige); João António da Silva Madeira da Fonseca (Merit); Rodolfo Freitas Silvério de Abreu Ávila (Merit); Li Nga Weng (Merit); Vitor Hugo dos Santos Marreiros (Merit); Leong Ka Weng (Merit); Hoi Kin Wa (Merit); Chan Fai Young (Merit); Wong Ching I (Merit).
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In order to elevate the reliability, system upgrade and power supply project will be carried out in the computer center in the Public Administration and Civil Services this coming Saturday (22 of January.) The Government Portal (Gov.mo) and SAFP's website will be intermittently unavailable between 14:00 to 18:00. We believe that the operation will be more stable and reliable in consequence of the upgrade.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah today pledged to provide more quality services and business opportunities for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Speaking at the opening session of the “Zhejiang Week in Macao 2005” and “Zhejiang-Macao Trade and Economic Fair”, Mr Ho said: “ The SAR Government will grasp the opportunities provided by CEPA and continue to enhance business environment in order to provide quality service and opportunity for small and medium-size enterprises from local and abroad.” He said the SAR Government, in its second five-year term, would closely follow President Hu Jintao’s direction to continue the implementation of the “One Country Two Systems” policy and enhance its administration, to speed up the reforms in government administration and the law, to improve the well being of the residents, and to forge a society with quality. The co-operation between Macao and Zhejiang had entered a new period with the implementation of CEPA and the Individual Visit Scheme. In addition, the trade and economic fair that opened today would further amplified the effect of this relation, he said. “I anticipate that Macao could capitalise on its advantage and carry out its bridging role to complement the development of the Zhejiang province,” Mr Ho said. The Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Mr Xi Jinping said in his speech that Macao was already an important platform for economic cooperation and trade between the Mainland and Portuguese-speaking countries, and also served as a gateway for Zhejiang enterprises to “go international” and to attract foreign investment to Zhejiang. Mr Xi said he hoped to further promote multi-level cooperation between the two sides, especially in the service sector. Agreements for seven cooperation projects, valued at two billion five hundred million Renminbi, were signed at the ceremony. Foreign investment in these projects totaled one billion Renminbi.
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Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Mr Xi Jinping, is scheduled to arrive in the Macao SAR for a four-day visit tomorrow. After his arrival in the afternoon, Mr Xi is scheduled to meet with the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, who will host a dinner for him in the evening. During his visit to Macao, Mr Xi will attend the opening ceremony of “2005 Macao-Zhejiang Week” and related events. He will also visit some tourist attractions before leaving Macao on 22 January. Mr Xi’s delegation includes the Chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Committee, Mr Li Jinming; the Standing Member of Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Mr Bayin Chaolu; and the Vice Governor of Zhejiang Provincial Government, Mr Zhong Shan. Last April, Mr Ho led a delegation of government officials and some 150 entrepreneurs to Zhejiang. Mr Xi last visited Macao In October 2001, when he was the Governor of Fujian province.
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The President of the Republic of Portugal, Mr Jorge Sampaio, leaves this evening after a busy two-day visit to the MSAR. Macao is the last stop on his official visit to China, at the invitation of President Hu Jiantao. Before his departure, Mr Sampaio and his wife, Ms Maria Rita Sampaio, hosted a reception for the Portuguese community at the residence of the Portuguese Consul-General in Macao. The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, also attended the banquet. Earlier, in the morning, Mr Sampaio and his delegation visited the Portuguese School, the Portuguese Consulate-General in Macao and the Oriental Portuguese Institute of the Orient. He also visited the Macau Tower where he had a bird’s eye view of Macao and the neighbouring region, from the 58th floor of the tower, before he attended the launching ceremony of a new book entitled “Portugal – an old nation, a country of the future”. He also attended a luncheon hosted by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam. Speaking at the luncheon, Mr Tam said the MSAR Government valued its relations with Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries and would capitalise this advantage to make Macao a platform for trade and economic co-operation between China and Portugal. In the afternoon, Mr Sampiao visited some famous Macao landmarks, including the A-Ma Cultural Village on Coloane Island, the Ruins of St Paul’s Church and Senado Square in the centre of the city.
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