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The Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair 2016 (GMBPF) welcomed even more visitors on the second day, with many residents and tourists flocking to the event to do some shopping. A variety of fun-filled games at the Guangdong & Macao’s Vintage Shopping Street became the spotlight of the event, attracting numerous participants and creating a happy atmosphere. This year, GMBPF took place in Hall B, Cotai Expo, Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel for the first time, with a total area of 9,000 sq. metres and 357 booths, a 20% increase compared to the previous year. The new venue was generally accepted by exhibitors and the public, who believe that visitors felt more comfortable with the larger space. The Indonesia Products Exhibition and Sales Area, comprising a total of 50 booths, was first introduced to GMBPF this year to enrich the variety of product options for consumers. Furthermore, 54 business matching sessions were conducted at the Guangdong-Macao Branded Products Exhibition & Sales Area, involving enterprises from Macao, Hong Kong, Jieyang and Maoming of Guangdong province. Guangdong Enterprises make use of the Guangdong-Macao Platform to Explore Business Opportunities 195 booths were set up in the Guangdong Products Exhibition & Sales Area, mainly selling four types of products, e.g. food, daily necessities and gifts, hotel supplies and household appliances. As usual, food product were a particular favourite with the consumers. General Manager of Guangzhou Too Vegetarian Food Co. Ltd., Wu Yang Wen noted that their main sellers were dried tangerine peel and medicated orange peel and this is the third year they have participated in the event. He further added that the sales were very strong because of the ideal visitor flow at the event, which is a very good channel for marketing and promoting their brand. He continued to say that they will come back next year due to the desirable results achieved in the previous two years. Guangzhou Wanbao Group Refrigerator Co. Ltd., a new comer to GMBPF, which has a history of more than 30 years and exports 70% of its products all over the world. Vice General Manager of the company, Xia You Hui noted that Macao is a great potential market due to the great number of hotels and well-developed business environment here and they are looking for potential hotels and wholesalers via the business matching service provided in the fair in hope of entering the Macao market and finding the right customers. Macao Enterprises Hope to Increase Exposure via this Popular Fair The Macao Products Exhibition & Sales Area comprised 112 booths, mainly selling products “Made in Macao”, “Macao branded”, “Macao designed”, Macao cultural and creative products, and “overseas featured merchandise with Macao companies acting as agents”. The Green Castle Eco Technology Co. Ltd., which sells organic ingredients, participated in the fair for the first time. Company representative, Nazca Chan, noted that Macao people generally do not really understand the concept of organic vegetables and most tend to buy the cheaper ones. He hoped to instil the value of organic vegetable into the public mind by making use of this platform for advertising and promotion purposes. He also said that some supermarkets have already expressed interest in building co-operation to sell their organic ingredients. Indonesia Actively Explores Macao’s Markets This year, the Organiser specially incorporated the “Belt and Road” initiative element and invited Indonesia to participate in the event in order to strengthen economic and trade connections between countries and cities along the “Belt and Road” route, the Portuguese-speaking countries, Guangdong and Macao. 43 exhibitors from Indonesia brought to Macao their featured products, covering local food, jewellery, accessories, gifts, clothing, leather goods and handicrafts,. The representative of Utti’s craft said that they mainly sell handbags and handicrafts woven from Pandan leaves. These products feature a unique motif, of very good quality and are even more durable than bamboo products. Not only are they enjoying desirable sales in Indonesia, some are also exported to the Mainland China, Japan and Vietnam. He hoped to find a Guangdong and Macao wholesaler to open up the Asian market. Harlim Angsana, Director of International Marketing of Olaga Food Group, said that they sell healthy, preservative-free food and drinks, which cater to the taste of local residents and therefore the needs of the Macao market. He further noted that they are currently discussing the possibility of future co-operation with local food wholesalers. Vintage Shops and Programmes Catch People’s Attention As always, the Organiser is keen to innovate and create something new. This year, the theme of GMBPF is “nostalgia” and many special symbols have been designed to fit in with the theme, e.g. banyan tree, red letterbox, old signboards and a pedicab to name a few, , at the Guangdong & Macao’s Vintage Shopping Street, which was a very popular place for visitors to take photographs and reminiscent of the old Macao. Furthermore, some specially arranged local signature street snacks, e.g. Brown sugar painting and maltose are very popular among children and adults. A local resident Miss Cheong said that the atmosphere this year is even more bustling than last year, the Brown sugar painting and installation of old-style streets have brought back her childhood memories. Ms Lo said that GMBPF is one of the best places to go during the summer holidays, so she brought her granddaughter with her and their first stop was to take pictures in the old-style photo studio. Today is the last day of the event, so don’t miss the last chance to grab your “favourites”! Special programmes, including Brown sugar Painting, Chinese Dough Doll, Traditional Calligraphy, Street Magic Show, Classic Songs of All time, Retro Party, Martial Arts Performance, Product Promotion plus a myriad of other things, will be on show at the Guangdong & Macao’s Vintage Shopping Street tomorrow while a lucky draw, with abundant prizes, is scheduled to take place at 7 p. m. A free shuttle bus service is also available during GMBPF, with six bus routes. Opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more programme information, please call (853) 8798 9636 or visit the website
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The 2016 Macao Franchise Expo (2016MFE) was open to the public today (30 July), drawing many residents and merchants to the venue. It was acknowledged by exhibitors that as the needs of market development increased, there would be more and more international business communications. Also, the MFE would be of great importance as an international business communication platform. Besides, there were about 48 sessions under successful negotiation on-site on the business matching area. The event organisers also arranged 262 business- matching and negotiation sessions for different delegations. MFE Plays a Pivotal Role as a Platform in the Process of International Enterprises Cracking New Market It was the second day of exhibition and all exhibitors seized the opportunity to find new customers and promote their own business. Trinestcon, a Portuguese HR company, attended MFE for the first time this year and the person in charge of the company, Mr. João Monteiro stated that as Macao is an important cultural communication platform between China and Portugal, its business value had to be more balanced. As for Lugui Trading Food Franchising Ltd. from Brazil whose person in charge is Mr. Marcus Alonso, who also attended the exhibition for the first time, said that the company owned more than 150 branch stores in Brazil. The company worked with another catering company in Holland called Lutosa to get into the markets of Hong Kong and Macao. They hoped their brands would become popular and were able to find new investors or business partners through MFE and bring the Brazilian food culture to Macao so as to make its catering industry more diverse. Mr. Magnus Oliveira, the person in charge of the renowned footwear brand BIBI in Brazil, stated that their brand had a history of over 67 years. Until now, there were 70 retail branches at home and abroad with exports to 67 countries. The objective of attending MFE was to connect with more customers in Macao and Mainland China, which would do them good in their quest to develop the Chinese market. Besides, there were also many local enterprises attending MFE, hoping to expand their businesses. Edward Choi, a businessman who has engaged in the industry of manicure, cosmetology and related machines for five years, expressed that “people would in the end regret the things they didn't do instead of things they have done when they are old” and thus had resigned from the bank he used to work for with an optimistic market prospect and started his own business. It was the first time he had attended MFE though which he would like to expand markets in Macao and Mainland China. More Activities and Seminars and Robert Chua Shared Business Philosophy MFE is holding a rich and diversify of activities and seminars, including: Investment Opportunities in Malaysia, Taiwan Quality Brands Presentation and Stories of 12 Birthstones. Mr. Chua changed his career path to the catering business three years ago. He was very green and was not familiar with this industry at that time. But he eventually built up his business kingdom with shops around the world. He shared his success story in MFE. “People know what is good and what is bad from experience, there is no difference if you are in the catering business or TV production,” Mr. Chua said. He considered placing emphasis on advertising cannot replace product quality because people will recognise good or bad from experience. Mr. Chua advised Macao young entrepreneurs not to be afraid of losing. You will obtain much than you lose when you are learning with enthusiasm, then you will achieve to success when opportunities appear. Upcoming Activities "Re-brand packaging" consultancy services continue today (31 Jul) and more professional seminars and wonderful activities will be held. They include, “Opportunities of Starting an Online Business”, “Franchise Brand Recommendations of Licensing and Franchising Association of Hong Kong”, “Introduction of Chewy Junior Franchising”, “The Secrets of Using System to Develop Business Opportunities”, “World’s First Healthy Instant Black Fungus and Youth Entrepreneurship Franchise Competition Award Ceremony”. The free shuttle bus operates 6 routes between the city centre and the MFE venue. The onward bus service starts at 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the return service is between 11:00 a.m. to 8:30.p.m. at the Venetian. Free parking is provided at the Venetian Hotel, located in Hall D & E and is available to citizens, but spaces are limited to a first come, first served basis. For more information about MFE, please visit the official website: http://www.mfe.mo or Tel 853-82946777.
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Jointly organised by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, the Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair 2016 (GMBPF) kicked off today (29th) at the Cotai Expo Hall B, Venetian Macao Resort Hotel for three consecutive days. The economic and trade co-operation between Guangdong and Macao has brought mutually-complementary advantages into full play and significantly boosted the economic development of the two regions. This year, GMBPF has incorporated many new elements, with a total of 357 booths, and is being held concurrently with the Macao Franchise Expo 2016 (MFE. The two events are expected to bring a greater result by providing a variety of product options and entertainment activities to merchants and consumers, as well as the opportunities to explore new markets. On the first day of the event, a number of business matching sessions were conducted at the Guangdong-Macao Branded Products Exhibition & Sales Area, involving enterprises from Macao, Jieyang, Huizhou and Maoming of Guangdong, and Indonesia. Officiating guests at the solemn but simple opening ceremony with ribbon cutting included He Zhongyou, Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, Leong Vai Tac, Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao SAR, Zhu Hong, Deputy Head of Economic Department of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Yang Shijun, Director-General of General Affairs Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Zheng Jianrong, Director of Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Jackson Chang, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Liao Jingshan, Director General of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province of People’s Republic of China, Ma Iao Lai, President of Macau Chamber of Commerce, Ma Hua, Deputy Director of Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Zhu Yuwang, Deputy Mayor of Shaoguan Municipal People’s Government, Li Xianmao, Deputy Mayor of Shanwei Municipal People’s Government, Yang Wenlong, Deputy Mayor of Zhong Shan Municipal People’s Government, Xu Xiaoxiong, Deputy Mayor of Jiangmen Municipal People’s Government, Natan Kambuno, Trade Consul of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Si Tou Tek Lam, Vice President of Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Irene Va Kuan Lau, Executive Director of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. Following the ceremony, the guests also visited the exhibition areas and spoke to exhibitors from Guangdong, Macao and Indonesia. Co-operation and complementary advantages between Guangdong and Macao facilitate economic and trade development of two regions As noted by He Zhongyou, under the leadership of the Central People's Government, both Guangdong and Macao have implemented the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Framework Agreement to a deeper level and wider area of co-operation, which greatly promoted the economic development and improved people’s livelihood of the two regions. Despite the slowdown in foreign trade in Guangdong and economic adjustment in Macao last year, the total volume of import and export trade between Guangdong and Macao saw a 3.2% growth against the trend, the number of Macao’s direct investment projects in Guangdong registered an increase of 65.3% year-on-year, contract value of foreign investments increased 58.6%, and actual value of foreign investments increased 99.3%. All these figures indicate the complementary benefits and wider space for economic and trade co-operation between Guangdong and Macao. Leong Vai Tac remarked that the MICE industry, as one of the key industries to help Macao achieve a moderate, diversified economic development, is also one of the important areas in co-operation between Guangdong and Macao. The GMBPF, as an annual event promoting economic and trade collaboration between Guangdong and Macao, has, since its first year in 2009, adhered to the branding and specialist principle to grow with the times, attracting a total of 870,000 visitors in the last seven years and introducing a number of Guangdong and Macao products to Macao residents and tourists. This year, the GMBPF has included many new elements, e.g. the Indonesia Products Exhibition & Sales Area and Guangdong & Macao’s Vintage Shopping Street. As the GMBPF is being held concurrently with the MFE at the same place, it is believed that this can help attract more visitors and magnify its impact. Special forums to promote Macao characteristics finance and economic development Held concurrently was also the Macao Characteristics Finance and Economic Forum, jointly organised by the Guangdong and Macao Federation of Industry and Commerce and Entrepreneur Capital Management Association of Guangdong Province. At the forum, keynote speakers introduced the current financial structure and changes, and the advantages, development status and trend of financial leasing in China, discussed how to integrate Macao’s advantages to develop a characteristic financial industry with the support of financial leasing. A plaque presentation ceremony was held at the forum, confirming that 22 city enterprises are to be act as the contact agent of their respective cities for business and communication between Guangdong and Macao and also be responsible for liaising with the business circles of the two regions and strengthening communication, exchanges and reciprocation between enterprises from the two places. Fascinating programmes and multitude of products await your participation! Let’s meet at the Guangdong & Macao’s Vintage Shopping Street tomorrow and Sunday to explore a variety of fascinating programmes, such as Portrait Sketching, Sugar Painting, Crosstalk, Shaolin Kung Fu, Retro Party and Games with Prizes. Furthermore, Maria Cordero’s Nostalgic Cuisine Showtime and a number of featured product promotion activities will be staged at the event. Don’t miss the chance to grab the quality Guangdong, Macao and Indonesia products at discounted prices and tens of thousands of gifts at this wonderful shopping gala! Free shuttle bus service is also available during the GMBPF, with six bus routes. Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both 30 July (Saturday) and 31 July (Sunday). For more programme information, please call (853) 8798 9636 or visit the website of GMBPF: www.guangdongmacaofair.com.
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The 2016 Macao Franchise Expo (2015MFE) was officially opened yesterday (July 29th), the three-day event is upholding the concept of “Brand Expansion Continues, Business Opportunities To Be Seized”. There were more than 180 brands in the exhibition that attracted over 160 exhibitors from Mainland of China, Portuguese speaking countries, Southeast Asian nations, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and more, among which East Timor and Mozambique are exhibiting for the first time. The expo covers businesses within the food and beverage industry, retail, education, entertainment, finance, real estate, accessories, consulting service, brand agency and so on. The opening ceremony was held at 11 a.m. with officiating guests including: Leong Vai Tac, Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao SAR; Zhu Hong, Deputy Head of Economic Department of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Zhang Jian, Head of International Organisations and Legal Affairs Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Jackson Chang, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute; Gustavo Orlandini Schifino, President of Ethic Commission, Brazilian Franchising Association; Jaman Wong, Chairman of Macao Chain Stores and Franchise Association; Vincent Tung, Chairman of Council Board of Macao International Brand Enterprise Commercial Association; Wilson Lee, Chairman of Licensing and Franchising Association of Hong Kong; Richard Li, Chairman of Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan; Maria Cristina Matos, General Manager of Portuguese Franchise Association; Donna Lee, Chairman of Franchising & Licensing Association, Singapore; Amelia Wang, Member of Franchise Committee of China Chain Store & Franchise Association and Kang Chung Chan, Manager in Policy & Planning Team. After the opening ceremony, Leong Vai Tac, the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR and other officiating guests, toured the venue and spoke to exhibitors. MFE grows in size every year Mr. Jackson Chang expressed in his speech that since it was launched in 2009, MFE has seen a number of enhancements, namely in terms of the content and size of the event. It has become more international, and with greater participation of local enterprises. With the slogan “Brand Expansion Continues, Business Opportunities To Be Seized” this year, MFE aims to become a mega event providing exhibitions, forums, business-matching sessions and promotional seminars and play a positive role in various patterns of business co-operation, such as franchising and brand agency. It has been instrumental in promoting economic growth and the development of moderate economic diversification in Macao. MFE Puts “IPIM Online Business Matching Service Platform” on Trial This exhibition promoted the self-matching service through “IPIM Online Business Matching service Platform” for the first time and encouraged exhibitors, enterprises and purchasing agents to register as well as taking part in communications and matching on the “Online Business Matching service Platform”. With the system, about 145 self-service pre-matching sessions were scheduled and will take place during the three exhibition days. On the first day, there were 55 successful matching sessions in the business matching area. Besides, according to figures from the organiser, 1,052 business negotiation sessions will be conducted for specially invited trade visitors over the three days. Contracts for 18 projects were signed on the first day of the event and they included co-operation between chambers of commerce and associations; chain and franchising projects in the food and beverage industry; brand agency services for the marketing of branded products, brand franchising and more. Signing parties included participants from Macao, Mainland China, America, South Korea and others. Expanding Businesses Modes through Diversified Activities A series of Products Promotion Seminars and Sharing Sessions will be held today (30th), which includes “Investment Opportunities in Malaysia”, “Taiwan Quality Brands Presentation”, “Stories of 12 Birthstones”, “Sharing by Mr. Robert Chua: From TV production to the F&B industry”, “Products Presentation by OTOP Taiwan On Top”, “Brand Packaging Design Seminar – “Legal Introduction on the Protection and Limitation of Copyright” & “Packaging Design and Image Analysis of Taiwan Most Popular Souvenirs”. All merchants and citizens are warmly welcome to participate. 2016 MFE open to the Public today and tomorrow The event is open to the public today and tomorrow (30th and 31st) so residents can visit and understand the services and products offered by different chain-store brands. A free shuttle bus service will be operated on 6 routes between the city centre and the MFE venue. The bus service will run from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00.p.m. in the city centre and 11:00.a.m. to 8:30.p.m. at the Venetian. Complimentary parking at the MFE venue and Venetian Hotel Hall D & E will also be available to visitors with entry tickets but parking spaces are limited. For more information about 2016MFE, please visit the official website: http://www.mfe.mo or Tel: 853-82946777.
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The “2016 MFE Forum on Chain and Franchise Business Opportunities of International Brand” was held yesterday (29th) in the Sicily Room in Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The Forum was under the theme “New Vision of Chain and Franchise in the Internet Era. Guests had the opportunity to gain a further understanding on the related market profile and development trends according to the speakers’ successful experiences in international franchising chain and the development of the Internet. Officiating guests included: Jackson Chang, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Irene Va Kuan Lau, Executive Director of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Glória Ung, Executive Director of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Albert Kong, Committee Member of Franchising and Licensing Association (Singapore), Chief Executive Officer of Asiawide Franchise Consultants Pte. Ltd. Amelia Wang, Member of Franchise Committee of China Chain Store & Franchise Association, Richard Li, Chairman of Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan, Gustavo Orlandini Schifino, President of Ethic Commission, Brazilian Franchising Association, Kyo Ito, Chairman of Franchise Committee in Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultants Association - Tokyo branch, Ana Correia, Founder of MORE Group, Portugal, Choi Ka Lun, Merchandising Manager, Hong Kong & Macau of Vipshop International Holdings Limited and Lei Lam Leong, Chief Executive Officer of MacaoFood Ltd. Increase in Competitiveness through Increase in Internet Information Mr. Jackson Chang said in his opening speech that nowadays business models like brand agencies and franchising have won favour amongst investors, especially youth start-ups. He hoped that through the speakers’ successful experiences in international franchising chain and the development of the Internet, as well as joint discussions on challenges and opportunities encountered during the process of expanding their Internet businesses and by providing everyone with the latest information on brand operations from various places and that of chain business, the competitiveness of local middle and small-sized enterprises would be improved and opportunities in the Internet Era would be seized. An Irresistible Trend: Brands on the Internet After the seminar, Mr. Choi Ka Lun stated that the Internet can increase the offline-online interactions of many local brands in Macao, which will help develop the real brand value. Through MFE, merchants can learn of the latest business models on the Internet, which in turn does them the favour in being able to expand their Internet market. Mr. Gustavo Orlandini Schifino stated that Brazil was a big food production country and by using Macao as a platform, tourists from all over the world, especially those from Mainland China, would get to know Brazilian food better. This gives a good impression on Brazilian brands. He also believes that the Internet is indispensable to modern products and therefore Brazilian brands were all actively developing an Internet business model. Follow Web Trends to Avoid Elimination in the Market In addition, speakers mentioned in the market seminar that with the maturity of information technology and the rapid development of the Internet chain enterprise, both the thoughts of operators and those in management level positions were much different from those in the past. In order to continuously have a share in the market, entrepreneurs must keep pace with the development of the Internet, or they will be eliminated. Mr Richard Li said that regions with a small population like Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong should make full use of the advantages of the “Internet +” to expand the scope of their enterprises. The Internet should not only be used by the end-consumers but also used by everyone from business administrators to customer service providers. Offline & Online ---- Complementary Advantages The second session was an integrated discussion on the topic “Why Customers Cannot Get Feedback Offline after Buying Things Online?” The speaker indicated that the use of the Internet was necessary for merchants and for chain-like alliances, taking their products from online to offline is an important issue. The Internet allows merchants the chance to come into contact with more customers and provides channels for merchants to display products. Meanwhile, OTO plays an important role in the business’ development; offline services can effectively supplement the limitations of online services. Macau’s e-commerce is in a nascent stage and can only grow with the aid of online payment. Over 200 people attended the Forum and participants had an interactive and in-depth discussion about various ideas related to Chain and Franchise model in the Internet era.
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The University of Macau’s (UM) residential college (RC) system recently achieved satisfactory results, according to the two-year performance assessment. The results show that students who have lived in the RCs tend to outperform those without the experience in various areas. This is testament to the university’s significant progress in liberal arts education. UM implemented the RC system after relocating to its new campus two years ago. As of today, ten colleges have been established. Recently, UM conducted a two-year performance assessment of the system, based on criteria in five areas of competencies (Healthy Living, Interpersonal Relation and Teamwork, Leadership and Service, Cultural Engagement, and Citizenship with Global Perspectives and Patriotism) and Hong Kong Baptist University’s Whole Person Development Inventory. 1,772 students were surveyed. At today’s (29 July) Third Forum on Education of Modern Residential College, Prof Haydn Chen, vice rector (student affairs) of UM, shared the assessment results with forum participants. The results show that students who have lived in RCs tend to outperform those without the experience, in various areas, including academic results, sports, art appreciation, cultural engagement, leadership skills, and peer relationships. The results also show that students who have lived longer in RCs tend to achieve higher scores. ‘UM’s RC system is still very young, so the results are very encouraging,’ said Prof Chen. ‘The results have increased our confidence in the system.’ The forum attracted nearly 300 experts, scholars, faculty members, and students from more than 40 universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. During the forum, the participants will discuss the philosophy, implementation, and development of RC systems at today’s universities. Half of the non-UM participants will stay at UM’s RCs during the period. At the opening ceremony, Prof Lionel Ni, vice rector (academic affairs) of UM, said that UM’s RC system has inherited the traditions of college education in ancient China and is modelled upon the successful experience of top universities, including the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Yale University, adding that the system has a comprehensive master plan and its own characteristics. Prof Ni also said that all faculty members at UM are required to spend at least on hour per week outside the classroom with the students. Today, 300 faculty members are available in the RCs to help students with the problems they encounter in their studies and everyday life. The theme of this year’s forum is ‘Student Development in a Residential College and the Shaping of Its Educational Character’, which includes four sub-topics: 1) the assessment of RCs’ learning outcomes; 2) the collaboration between RCs and faculties; 3) educational programmes for student development; and 4) developing the characteristics of RCs. The keynote speakers include Prof David Ibbetson, president of Clare Hall at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Prof Trevor Cairney, master of New College at the University of New South Wales, Australia; and Dr Gong Hui, deputy Party secretary at XJTU, mainland China. Two sub-forums will be held for student representatives of various universities to discuss their experiences in RCs. In addition, a book collection of 34 papers selected by an editorial panel formed by UM and XJTU scholars will also be presented at the forum. This year’s event is organised by a RC alliance and hosted by UM. The past two events were hosted by Beihang University. The alliance was formed by RCs at eight universities, namely Beihang University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, XJTU, Chengchi University, Fudan University, Tsing Hua University, East China Normal University, and UM.
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A majority of the opinions received via a public consultation process shows support for the Government’s proposals regarding revisions to the Legislative Assembly Election Law, said the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan. The opinions expressed generally agreed with the Government’s proposals with regard to the following matters: the need to specify rules for electoral campaigns and to strengthen supervision for those campaigns; the need to clarify who is qualified to be a candidate; and the need to step up efforts against bribery. The Government ran a 30-day public consultation – from 7 May to 5 June inclusive – regarding proposed revisions to the Legislative Assembly Election Law. During the period, the Government held a total of seven public sessions with 963 participants. A total of 128 attendees shared their comments during the public sessions. Another 225 written opinions were submitted to the Government. The Government would take into consideration all the comments that were submitted; and would evaluate whether they conform to Macao’s legal system and could feasibly be incorporated within it, the Secretary said on Thursday (28 July) during a press conference. Regarding management of electoral campaigns, most of the opinions received during the consultation period supported the idea of setting up a mechanism further to monitor every ticket’s campaign expenses; and of making public the information on expenses via an online platform. Some comments suggested electoral expenses should not exceed 3 million patacas per ticket. The Government found most opinions were in favour of the introduction of the concept of criminal responsibility for infringement of provisions of the Law. They were also mostly in favour of creating a definition of electoral activity; including of any electioneering done outside Macao. Some comments expressed doubts about whether effective enforcement action could be taken against any electioneering that might be done outside Macao. Some comments also voiced doubts about whether effective enforcement action could be taken against oblique or unfavourable comments – against any candidates – that might be expressed via social media or other online platforms, where the computer server for the platform was based overseas. The Secretary said provisions regarding regional judicial cooperation and the existing mechanism for legal cooperation would be the basis for handling any such cases. Some comments suggested nullifying an elected member’s right to sit in the Legislative Assembly if a court ruled that bribery had been used in order to secure their election. A similar suggestion had been made prior to revisions in 2008 to the Legislative Assembly Election Law, said Ms Chan. The Government would need further study on the matter, as the suggestion was contrary to the Basic Law, she added. Regarding management of electoral affairs, a majority of comments showed support for the Government’s suggestions on the following: the need to form the relevant Electoral Affairs Commission well in advance of each election; the need to include a member of the Public Prosecutions Office in the Electoral Affairs Commission; the need to specify the appeal mechanisms available in cases where a ruling negatively affects a campaign team; and the need to appoint a body to handle minor cases of rule infringement. Most comments also agreed that electoral instructions should have the force of law once published on electoral websites and newspapers. With regard to comments suggesting each Electoral Affairs Commission should also include a member from the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC), Ms Chan said that might cause conflict regarding CCAC’s role in an election. If pursued, it would mean CAAC acting as an electoral regulator and as a body to monitor elections. Ms Chan said a ban on elected members of the Legislative Assembly holding any political position in a foreign country – a measure contained in the Government’s proposals – could prevent issues relating to dual allegiance. Elected Assembly members must swear allegiance to Macao, which is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China. The opinions received on the Legislative Assembly Election Law are included in a final report on the consultation process. The report, available in Chinese and Portuguese, can be obtained at: http://ceal.elections.gov.mo/zh-hant/lastest-news
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A total of 270 contestants have submitted their works for the “Precious Moments in Macao” 2016 Photography Competition, which is co-organised by the Government Information Bureau together with eight photographic organisations and five media associations. Out of a total of 1,144 entries, 62 winning entries have been picked after professional evaluation. The judging was held on 26 June. The 13-member judging panel comprises one representative from the Photographic Society of Macao; the Photography Salon Society of Macao; the Macao Association for the Promotion of Photographic Art; the Macao Multimedia Photographic Art Association; the Macao Association of Photographic Art; the Macau Camera Lens Art Association; the Macao Digital Photography Association; the Macao Media Workers Association; the Macao Journalists’ Club; the Macao Journalists’ Association; the Macao Media Club; the Macau Sports Press Association; and the Government Information Bureau, respectively. This year’s competition has continued to use an online portal for the submission of entries. During the submission period between 17 May and 7 June, a total of 1,144 entries from 270 contestants were submitted. These entries reflect changes in Macao’s skyline and precious moments in the lives of Macao residents. After three rounds of evaluation by the 13-member judging panel, the following 52 winning entries have been selected: First Prize: KU SOI LAN; Title of Work: Passing the baton Second Prize: WU YISHENG; Title of Work: Colourful clouds over the peninsula Third Prize: LAM SAO WA; Title of Work: NAPE in the evening Winners of the 49 merit prizes are as follows (in no particular order): AU IEONG CHENG (Rejoicing) AU IEONG KIN IOK (Friendship) CHAN CHI HONG (Family fun) CHAN WENG KIN (Dancing in the breeze) CHAN WENG KIN (Macao’s fishing port) CHING CHUN KEUNG (Superstar of the sea) CHING CHUN KEUNG (Procession of Our Lady of Fatima) CHING CHUN KEUNG (Superstar Duckie) CHOI IM FAN (Macao at night) MARIA LEONOR FERNANDES DO ROSARIO (Kun Iam statue) HO CHON IN (Moon-lit Macao) HO HOI SAN (City wrapped in fogs) HO KAWUN (Kiss) KOK WENG LON (Selfie under the neon lights) KOU WAI IN (X’mas snow globe) LAM KOK KUN (Fairytale dream) LAM KOK KUN (Young fans of Rubber Duck) LAM KOK KUN (Capturing a moment of joy) LAM SIO HONG (Keeping Macao clean) LAO FONG MENG (Fireworks extravaganza) LEI HEONG IEONG (Goddess of Mercy descending on earth) LEI HEONG IEONG (Sunrise) LEI HEONG IEONG (Lighting up the sky on the 3rd day of the lunar new year) LEI KENG HONG (Sunrise over the Macao Science Center) LEI SON PONG (Rubber Duck in Macao) LEI SON PONG (Moon under the Friendship Bridge) LEONG IM KAI (Waterfront in the morning) LEONG IM KAI (Dancing dragon) LI SIN (Latin parade) LI SIN (Long Chao Kok at daydreak) LOK WAI KEONG (Overcoming the hurdle together) LOU CHON MAN (Cotai Strip) NGAI HANG (Colourful) PUN KIN WA (Splash of colour) PUN TAK CHEONG (Photograghing fireworks show) PUN TAK CHEONG (Night of Latin parade) SIO CHOI LENG (Sai Van Bridge in the evening) SIO CHOI LENG (Good morning Macao) SIO CHOI LENG (Fish’s eyeview of Macao) SO TAK VO (Panoramic view of Macao Science Center) SOU SU FU (Dawn) TANG CHAN SENG (Golden dragon) TANG CHAN SENG (Happy moment) TANG CHAN SENG (Children’s rugby match) VONG CHENG IENG (Water polo tournament) WAN WAI SAI (Enchanting shadows) WONG SI CHAN (Coati Strip in the evening) WONG WAI ION (St Paul’s Ruins on a raining evening) WU SAI CHEONG (Big festival in a small city) Winners of the first, second and third prizes will get a cash prize of MOP8,000, MOP5,000 and MOP3,000 respectively in addition to a trophy while winners of the merit prizes will each get a cash prize of MOP500 and a certificate. In addition the theme of this year’s special feature prize is “Our Waters”. Winners will each get a cash prize of MOP1,000. The 12 winners of the special feature prize are as follows (in no particular order): CHAN MENG KAI (Nice summer day) CHAN WENG KIN (Macao’s fishing port) (also winner of merit prize) CHONG IO SANG (Macao’s land and waters) MARIA FERREIRA SIN (Sailing upwind) MARIA FERREIRA SIN (Inner Harbour) KOK KAM FAI (Keeping guard) LAM SAO WA (Aerial view of Macao) LAM SIO HONG (Keeping Macao clean) (also winner of merit prize) LAU WENG CHONG (Capturing daybreak) LEI CHI FAN (Water surfing) LEI SON PONG (Fishing moratorium) NG HOI KEI (Macao’s waters) All winning entries can be viewed on the website: http://photo.gcs.gov.mo.
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The government bodies and the aviation operators involved in airport security jointly conducted the “Bomb Threat Exercise 2016” in Macau International Airport in this early morning (29 July 2016) to simulate the activation of the Airport Emergency Plan and the security contingency procedures in response to a bomb threat that occurred in the passenger terminal. The exercise took place from 02:00 to 05:00 this morning. The scenario was of a an anonymous phone call made to an airline from an association who claimed that they had put bombs in the airport and threatened to explode them. With the assessment made by the bomb threat analysis and evaluation group, the airport declared emergency and activated the airport emergency plan to handle the crisis. The operations centre of the Public Security Police Force activated their security contingency procedures to carry out necessary tasks such as conducting a comprehensive inspection in the airport and eventually found two suspect baggages. The site was cordoned off and the people in that area were evacuated. The special police were called in to inspect the two baggages; it was confirmed that one of these baggages was a genuine bomb. The bomb was then detonated. The exercise was deemed smooth. There were about 150 participants. The exercise was coordinated by Public Security Police Force with the participation of other entities including Unitary Police Force, Macao Customs Services, Judiciary Police, Fire Services Bureau, Security Coordination Office, Health Bureau, Marine and Water Bureau, Civil Aviation Authority, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd, Administration of Airports, Ltd., Macau Security Company Ltd. (airport security), Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd and Air Macau Company Ltd. Macau International Airport carries out different types of exercise every year. Earlier this April, the fuel farm exercise was conducted; following this bomb threat exercise, the full scale emergency exercise and the heliport exercise will be held later in the second half of the year.
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The Government said a female patient placed under medical observation after travelling to Macao from Saudi Arabia does not have the virus-borne condition Middle East respiratory syndrome, also known as MERS. Tests showed the 11-year-old patient was negative for the virus associated with MERS. The patient sought medical treatment at Kiang Wu Hospital in Taipa on Thursday (28 July) after complaining of fever and abdominal pain. She entered Macao on 27 July after leaving her country on 18 July. To date – and since the Health Bureau was notified by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the development of the virus – there have been no indications of MERS having a presence in Macao. Since WHO’s notification, the Government has strengthened its monitoring regarding non-specific pneumonia and other cases of respiratory infection. Typical symptoms of MERS – during the initial phase – include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People with an impaired immune system or with a chronic disease are considered to be at higher risk of MERS than other people. The Health Bureau advises residents – especially if travelling to the Middle East – to avoid visiting farms and having contact with animals; in particular camels and birds. The public is encouraged to practise good personal and environmental hygiene. Citizens should seek medical treatment immediately if they develop symptoms such as a fever or cough.
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