News

According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, new small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending approved by Macao banks expanded in the second half of 2016. The utilisation of SME credit in proportion to the credit limit approved rose when compared with the previous survey period. The outstanding balance of SME delinquent loans recorded an increase.New lending approved In the second half of 2016, new SME credit limit approved by Macao banks totalled MOP13.6 billion, up by 36.8% from the first half of 2016 but down 34.1% from the same period last year. The collateralised ratio, which indicates the proportion of credit limit with tangible assets pledged, was 83.9%, up 2.3 percentage points when compared with the last survey period or 0.2 percentage points when compared with the same period of 2015.Credit utilisationAs at end-December 2016, the outstanding value of total SME loans increased 3.0% from end-June 2016 or 4.5% from a year earlier to MOP69.8 billion. When compared with end-June 2016, SME loans to “restaurants, hotels and similar activities” and “construction and public works” increased at respective rates of 8.3% and 3.0% whereas those to “manufacturing industries”, “transport, warehouse and communications” and “wholesale and retail trade” dropped 16.1%, 3.0% and 2.1% respectively.The utilisation rate, defined as the proportion of outstanding credit balance to the credit limit granted, increased 5.1 percentage points from six months ago to 66.8%.Delinquent loansAt end-December 2016, the outstanding balance of delinquent SME loans rose by 88.7% from six months ago to MOP578.1 million. Compared to a year ago, the balance grew 57.9%. The delinquency ratio, a ratio of delinquent loans outstanding balance to total SME loans outstanding, increased 0.38 percentage points from end-June 2016 or 0.28 percentage points from a year earlier to 0.83%.
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The Japanese Drama Classic “Nodame Cantabile Music Concert”, specially presented by the Macao Orchestra, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, was held successfully on 10 and 11 February, at the Macao Tower Auditorium. As the Japanese drama Nodame Cantabile has been in the 10^th anniversary this year, the concert specially featured the most popular classic works of the story, allowing the audience to enjoy the excellent performance while reminiscing the love story of Nodame Cantabile and Chiaki Shinichi. The concert attracted a lot of music aficionados with companions, where they captured their romantic moments in a “Live photo, Life memory” photography activity under a warm atmosphere.Conductor Yao-Yu Wu, who won the prestigious International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors at the age of 24, in collaboration with the second prize winner at the Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD in 2011, Claire Huang Ci, presented the quintessential piece in the drama, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, and concluded with Beethoven’s romantic Symphony No.7 in A Major. The concert lasted 90 minutes, leaving the audience enchanted and yearning for more.In addition, the Macao Orchestra will also present the master concert “Ning Feng Plays Elgar” on 19 February, Sunday, at 8pm, at St. Dominic’s Church. Renowned violinist Ning Feng will play Elgar’s Violin Concerto, which is regarded as the greatest British romantic violin concerto. Admission is free. Tickets will be distributed at the venue one hour prior to the performance. Distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to a maximum of two tickets per person. For details and programme enquiries, please visit the Macao Orchestra’s webpage at www.om-macau.org/.
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Consumer Council conducted itsfirst ‘Supermarket price survey’ in February on 10 February for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 12 supermarkets in Taipa and Coloane area.The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries.With reference to the local seven parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided over 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations.For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) hosted “Spring Luncheon of the Year of the Rooster and Introduction of the Cultural Affairs Bureau Works for 2017” on Friday, 10 February, at the Grand Lisboa Hotel, inviting members of the Cultural Consultative Committee, of the Cultural Heritage Committee, and the local media in the Chinese, Portuguese and English languages, as well as representatives of news agencies in Macao.Members of the Cultural Consultative Committee and of the Cultural Heritage Committee; representatives of the territory’s mass media; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng and the Vice-Presidents, Leung Hio Ming and Chan Peng Fai, as well as the heads of department of IC were present and interchanged ideas in this joyful luncheon.The President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng, addressed in his speech that the Cultural Affairs Bureau, following the reorganization last year, smoothly incorporated several departments from the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, seamlessly joining cultural facilities and services and it has already successfully merged a unified management system. The Cultural Affairs Bureau, after an overall integration of software and hardware resources, will continue to adequately protect cultural heritage, foster cultural talents, support cultural and creative industries, disseminate artistic training and encourage cultural exchanges, among other tasks, and strive to build a city-wide cultural life network and continue to move towards its goal to establish a “culturally sustainable city”.The luncheon was intercalated with a new promotional video entitled “Through the cultural forces, sustain the cultural roots eternally”. The video, divided in six parts, presents IC’s projects for 2017, bringing about the concept of culture being the city’s soul and the strongest pillar in the sustainable development of the society. In addition, the luncheon featured the performance by the cappella group Water Singers, presenting a number of cappella music pieces and showcasing the study results and capability of the local music talents, so as to promote the diverse culture of local music.IC took the opportunity to express its gratitude to the members of the Cultural Consultative Committee, of the Cultural Heritage Committee and the media for their contribution to cultural affairs, and listened to their opinions regarding IC’s works for the forthcoming year. Under its new organizational structure, IC will continue to promote the city’s valuable cultural resources, casting the city’s soul with culture in order to achieve the objective of establishing Macao as a “Culturally Sustainable City”.
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Consumer Council is concerned about the impact on consumers after Air Macau announced the cancellation of its Macau-Fukuoka flights during 17 February to 15 March 2017. The Council met with representatives from Air Macau today (10 Jan), and requested Air Macau to respond to consumers’ needs to lower the influences of the cancellation of the flights.Air Macau explained its arrangement details to the Council at the meeting, including the arrangement of transferring consumers to other destinations, meanwhile, cases from the Council had already been received and being processed.Consumer Council indicated that the cancellation of flights involve a large amount of consumers and affected their planned itineraries, therefore, Air Macau should consider the situation and respond to their requests, and make appropriate arrangements. The Council has received quite a number of inquiries from consumers about the arrangement of flights after 15 March, and suggested Air Macau to announce more detailed information as soon as possible to ease consumers’ worries.The Council will keep in touch with the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM), stay up-to-date regarding the development of this incident, and provide assistance to the affected consumers. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, today said the Government was confident the city’s economy would register modest growth this year.Speaking to reporters this morning, Mr Leong said the Government’s forecast was subject to a number of domestic and external factors; the latter including possible changes to currency exchange rates that might have an impact on export markets around the world.Reviewing Macao’s 2016 economic performance, he said the first half had continued a downward trend seen in 2015, while the second half had recorded a relatively stable performance, narrowing 2016’s overall year-on-year decline.The Secretary praised the economic effort of the business sector and of the community as a whole, particularly during the adjustment period of the gaming industry from the second half of 2014 to the first half of 2016. Such effort had helped enhance Macao’s overall competitiveness and the city’s ability to face challenges, Mr Leong added.When asked to comment on reported year-on-year decreases in the number of gaming workers, Mr Leong said change in human resource requirements in integrated resorts was a normal phenomenon. This applied in particular during the adjustment period of the gaming industry in the first half of 2016, and following the launch of more non-gaming elements in local resorts.The Government had stepped up efforts to maintain the current high employment rate, encouraging local resorts to improve employees’ opportunities for horizontal mobility – i.e., reassignment – thus improving career planning procedures relating to local employees.
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Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hosted a spring luncheon in Hong Kong today (10 Feb) for members of the Hong Kong travel trade in appreciation of their support to Macao’s tourism development. MGTO Deputy Director Cecilia Tse led a delegation to greet more than 100 travel trade executives at the luncheon. The Commissioner for Tourism of Tourism Commission, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Cathy Chu; Deputy Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board, Becky Ip, as well as Chairman of Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, Jason Wong, were present in the luncheon among other guests.During the luncheon, Deputy Director Cecilia Tseextended their appreciation to tourism industry partners in Hong Kong for their contributions to Macao’s tourism, and wishes to all the guests and the tourism industry for a prosperous New Year. In 2016, Macao welcomed over 30 million visitors. As the second largest source market, Hong Kong contributed over 6.4 million visitors to Macao last year, slightly dropped by 1.8% compared to 2015, while the sum of overnight guests of local hotels and guesthouses from Hong Kong registered an increase of 17.8%.Entering the Year of the Rooster, MGTO will dedicate continuous and vigorous efforts to promote the diversity of local tourism products and international mega events, supporting the Macao SAR Government’s work to speed up the city’s development into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Moreover, the Office will continue to promote Macao under the theme “Experience Macao Your Own Style”, in hope that visitors can experience the charm of Macao in their own style and bring home a myriad of wonderful travel experiences.To go in parallel with MGTO's promotional strategy, MGTO’s representative in Hong Kong will strengthen communication and cooperation with members of the tourism industry in different ways including regularproduct presentations, thematic familiarization trips, joint promotions and Macao on Sale promotions, etc. Besides, therepresentative will tailor brand-new promotional campaigns for differentmarket segments and maximize the use of internet tools and social platforms to showcase Macao as a destination that has a diversity of travel experiences to offer.
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The Macao Government is exploring further cooperation opportunities with Hong Kong regarding tourism, in particular opportunities brought by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which is currently under construction.Both sides have also agreed to strengthen a cooperation platform with Guangdong Province, in order to work closely to develop further a multi-destination travel model.The issues were discussed during a meeting on Thursday (9 February) of the Working Group on Enhancing Hong Kong/Macao Economic Cooperation, held in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong SAR Government’s headquarters.The meeting – co-chaired by Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So Kam-leung, and the Director of the Macao Economic Services, Mr Tai Kin Ip – also discussed other issues, including investment promotion and further cooperation in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) sector.The two sides would continue to work closely with Guangdong, stepping up promotional efforts to attract inward investment from overseas. Hong Kong and Macao would hold seminars to advance promotion of the investment regimes and advantages of the two SARs.Regarding MICE cooperation, Hong Kong and Macao would boost joint promotion efforts, in order to attract a greater number of overseas companies to hold fresh events in the region.The Working Group on Enhancing Hong Kong/Macao Economic Cooperation was established on the basis of the 9th Hong Kong-Macao Cooperation High-Level Meeting held in 2016. The working group aims to: strengthen the economic and trade development between the two SARs; further optimise the respective investment environments in the two SARs; and better grasp development opportunities arising upon completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.Other attendees at Thursday’s meeting included officials from the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. Hong Kong’s other representatives were from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau; the Tourism Commission; the Hong Kong Tourism Board; the Trade and Industry Department; InvestHK; and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
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In order to realize the idea of one-stop-services of the Special Administrative Region Government and provide convenience for citizens in the northern district of Macao to use the services of the Identification Services Bureau (DSI), DSI has set up service counters at the Government Services Centre in Areia Preta since 2009. For the purpose of expanding reception area, DSI will relocate its service counters to Zone R on the second floor of the above-mentioned property on 13 February 2017.DSI counters at the above-mentioned location provide services such as application for the Certificate of Criminal Record, application for the Certificate of Association, application for resident identity card (only applicable to persons who have collected the Residence Certificate or the Receipt of Residence Authorization issued by the Public Security Police Force at the Government Services Centre in Areia Preta), modification of contact information as well as resetting the password of electronic identity card. Applicants who have completed their applications (including applications lodged at self-service kiosks) at the above-mentioned location can collect their documents or certificates in the same place.Furthermore, part of DSI’s self-service kiosks installed at the Government Services Centre will also be relocated to the self-service area on the second floor of the same property providing services such as application for the Certificate of Criminal Record, renewal of permanent resident identity card, application for SAR Passport, application for SAR Travel Permit as well as application for Travel Permit to HKSAR. Self-services such as modification of contact information, authentication of identity card, enrollment for using Hong Kong e-Channel as well as making appointment and obtaining tag number for lodging applications at DSI in “Avenida de Praia Grande” will be still available at the 24-hour self-service area of the Government Services Centre.DSI will continue to study the possibility of providing more services at the Government Services Centre, so as to provide greater convenience for citizens to submit relevant applications.
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Upon the invitation of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), a team of snow carvers from Macau Culinary Association entered the 44^th International Snow Sculpture Contest in Japan and brought home the champion title. Its prize-winning snow sculpture titled “Crane Dance in Spring” is an exquisite work of art brought to life, winning appreciation of spectators from different parts of the world and shining on the snow wonderland as a tourism ambassador for Macao.Last year, a team of snow carvers from Macau Culinary Association was invited by MGTO for the first time to join the International Snow Sculpture Contest and returned home as the runner-up. This year, Perry Yuan Kam Hung, Patrick Li Hing Cheung and Tam Kuong Wu from the Association once again joined the Contest as a team from Macao. Over the last four days, they dedicated unreserved efforts day and night against the severely cold weather to create this lively and exquisite snow sculpture named “Crane Dance in Spring”, a symbol of peace and longevity. With their master skills, the team won the championship in the 44^th International Snow Sculpture Contest.The Sapporo Snow Festival is a popular winter festival in Japan that attracts over two million visitors from domestic cities and abroad every year, and is widely covered by media from across the world. The 44^th International Snow Sculpture Contest, a major highlight in the 68^th Sapporo Snow Festival, pitted eleven teams from different countries and regions including Latvia, Hawaii, Poland, Singapore and Macao. The teams carved their snow sculptures openly at 11 chome on Odori Site from 5 – 8 February. Winners were announced on the site this morning (9 February).By inviting the team to enter the International Snow Sculpture Contest, MGTO hopes to ride on this opportunity to promote Macao and attract more Japanese citizens and international visitors who enjoy joining events.Last February, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Alexis Tam, led a delegation of MGTO to take part in the Sapporo Snow Festival and promote the destination. Macao, a feature destination in the Festival, showcased a snow sculpture of the Ruins of St. Paul’s and presented video mapping projections and more, attracted many local and foreign spectators.Japan is the second largest international visitor source market for Macao. Last year, Japanese visitor arrivals topped 300,000 in Macao, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%.
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