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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today said the findings of a report – produced by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) – should not have a negative impact on the property rights of owners of apartments in the King Light Garden and One Central buildings. This was in consideration of the fact that they had completed the registration procedures for their respective flats. This perspective was arrived at following advice from the Commissioner Against Corruption and the Prosecutor-General, he said. The King Light Garden and One Central private housing developments were built on sites acquired through a land swap deal involving in return the site of the former Iec Long Firecracker Factory. That land swap was considered null and void by the CCAC in its latest report. The Government agreed with the findings of the CCAC report; and would handle the case in accordance with the law, and with the goal of safeguarding the public interest, Mr Chui told reporters this morning before leaving Macao for a three-day visit to Beijing. The CCAC stated – in a report released earlier this month – that a land swap agreement signed on 10 January 2001 between a firm called Baía de Nossa Senhora da Esperança Development Company and the Government, was null and void. The company agreed to pass the site of the former Iec Long Firecracker Factory to the Government in exchange for the plots of land where King Light Garden and One Central were built: the latter two parcels of land where under public control prior to the land swap. The Chief Executive said he had instructed the Secretary for Transport and Public Works to follow up the case; and requested CCAC to investigate if there were any suggestion of fraud or corruption regarding the land swap. The CCAC already had initiated an investigation into the matter and would notify the Public Prosecutions Office if evidence of any wrongdoing were found. Mr Chui also commented on the level of public investment in construction projects in Macao during the ongoing adjustment period for the city’s gaming industry. He said several public projects were now being launched as anticipated in the Macao SAR Budget for 2016, and as approved by the Legislative Assembly. Mr Chui added that the construction of more infrastructure and public facilities could, in the long run, help enhance Macao’s regional competiveness.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today embarked on a three-day visit to Beijing, to invite Beijing authorities to be part of the next edition of the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair. Speaking to reporters this morning before his departure for Beijing, Mr Chui said he would meet with the Secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee, Mr Guo Jinlong, for detailed discussions on further opportunities for Beijing-Macao cooperation. He said the next round of Beijing-Macao cooperation would cover: administration and justice; economy and finance; and social and cultural affairs. In the future, the main areas related to Beijing-Macao cooperation would be reviewed on a yearly basis. Further topics for cooperation would include sports, traditional Chinese medicine, environmental protection, culture, tourism, and youth affairs. Beijing-Macao cooperation would help further drive Macao’s sustainable development and promote the diversification of the city’s economy, Mr Chui said. It would also help the city in taking advantage of the growing number of opportunities in terms of regional cooperation, and in expanding ties with three economic zones on the mainland, respectively in the Pearl River Delta region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Bohai region. The Government already has established a long-term cooperation relationship with Guangdong Province, in the Pearl River Delta region. More recently, Macao established a partnership with Jiangsu Province in the Yangtze River Delta region. By deepening cooperation with Beijing, Macao would be able to strengthen its ties with the Bohai Economic Rim, covering Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province. The other highlight of the Chief Executive’s visit to Beijing will be a meeting with officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, and from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, to discuss Macao’s first Five-Year Development Plan. The proposal for this Five-Year Development Plan incorporates advice from the National Development and Reform Commission and from Tsinghua University in Beijing. Mr Chui said the Government had received nearly 4,200 submissions – featuring about 10,800 opinions – during the two-month long consultation period on the proposal for the Five-Year Development Plan. The consultation period ran until 30 June inclusive. Most of the opinions collected focused on livelihood issues and on the future of Macao’s development. The Government was currently preparing the final version of the Five-Year Development Plan, Mr Chui said. The plan will outline proposals for the city’s social and economic development for the period 2016 to 2020.
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The Government has signed with the mainland a new memorandum on the reduction of taxation on aircraft and ship leasing business; and on tackling tax evasion on dividends, interest, royalties and capital gains. The Third Protocol to the Arrangement between the Mainland and the Macao SAR on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Evasion of Income Tax was signed in Beijing on Tuesday (19 July). The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, and the Deputy Administrator of the State Administration of Taxation, Mr Wang Qinfeng, signed in Beijing the document on behalf, respectively, of the Macao Government and the Central Government. The memorandum includes: a reduction in the withholding tax on lease rentals in aircraft and ship leasing businesses (which are treated as royalties) from 7 percent to 5 percent; and enhancements to measures for tackling tax evasion on dividends, interest, royalties and capital gains. Such initiatives were to encourage and motivate investment, promote economic diversification and to enhance further Macao’s role in the country’s development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (collectively known as the “Belt and Road” initiative). Mr Leong indicated that the new protocol on tax would better guarantee the fairness of the taxation system as applied to residents of the Macao and of the mainland, as well as creating a better business environment and enhancing transparency on taxation in order to tackle tax evasion. The Arrangement was first signed in 2003, with subsequent revisions in 2009 and 2011.
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Zhang Kexin, an undergraduate student from the University of Macau’s (UM) Department of Portuguese, recently won the sole award in the first-year category of the prestigious Tomás Pereira Prize, which is awarded annually to the best Chinese university students of Portuguese language studies, based on the results of written and oral examinations. The Tomás Pereira Prize comes in four categories, namely first-year category, second-year category, third-year category, and fourth-year category, with only one awardee for each category. The competition was initiated by the Embassy of Portugal in Beijing in 2015 in collaboration with the University of Aveiro, the University of Lisbon, the University of Coimbra, and the University of Porto. This year’s competition attracted 97 participants, twice the number of last year, from 20 institutions in 13 cities and provinces, namely Harbin, Dalian, Tianjin, Beijing, Xian, Jilin, Zhejiang, Hebei, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Sichuan, Guangzhou, and Macao. The prize is named after Tomás Pereira, a Portuguese Jesuit who worked as a personal tutor, advisor, and translator to the Kangxi Emperor. Pereira is considered the most important person of the 17th century in China-Portugal relations and a pioneer in Sino-Europe cultural exchange.
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The “Nam Van Lake Craft Market” at the Anim’Arte NAM VAN will hold five family and creative handicrafts workshops on 6, 7, 13 and 14 August 2016. The public is welcome to register from today via the Activity Registration System on the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) website. Fee for each handicrafts workshop is MOP50, and the registration is processed by drawing lots. Successful entrants should pay the fee at specified IC libraries in a designated period of time upon receiving the admission notification. A rich variety of workshops including themes like “Storytelling workshop for children—Undersea adventures”, “Wooden postcards”, “Music boxes with preserved flowers”, “Let’s decorate handmade reusable bags with embroidery” and “Mini bonsai”, are conducted by the Craft Market booth owners and cultural and creative practitioners. The public is welcome to participate and experience the fun of art. Jointly organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Institute for Tourism Studies, under the governance of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, the Anim’Arte NAM VAN, which is open daily since June, combines elements such as dining, pedal boats, cultural and creative products and performances, in order to transform the Nam Van Lakeside in a distinctive leisure plaza. The project aims to provide residents and tourists diverse experiences and tourism services, thereby enhancing Macao’s cultural tourism products offering. The “Nam Van Lake Craft Market” will be held every Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 10pm. Registration for the above-mentioned workshops is now open until 5pm on 30 July. Interested parties can register online via the Activity Registration System on IC’s website (www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event). On-site registration will also be available, subject to availability. For more information about the workshops and the Craft Market at “Anim’Arte NAM VAN”, please visit IC’s website (www.icm.gov.mo), the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com) or the “Tap Siac Craft Market” page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TapSeac.Artfair). For enquiries, please contact Ms. Wong or Mr. Ho, staff members of IC, through tel. no. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours.
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The Government is committed to ensuring social justice and the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of Macao’s citizens, said the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. Mr Chui made the comments in his opening remarks on 18 July (Monday) at a reception for high-level officials of judicial and law enforcement agencies from neighbouring countries, invited to discuss judicial and law enforcement cooperation with Macao. A total of 27 senior officials from nine countries – namely Indonesia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and Bangladesh – were invited to Macao to share information and experiences regarding their respective legal and judicial systems. The meeting was co-organised by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Macao SAR. Mr Chui said the meeting would help the Government in its own efforts to develop further Macao’s judicial system and laws. Ever since the establishment of the SAR, the Government had been receiving full support from the Central Government, Mr Chui said. He added that the principle of “One country, two systems” continued to demonstrate strong advantages for Macao. The SAR was protected under the Constitution of the PRC, and under the Basic Law of the Macao SAR: the latter additionally recognises Macao as vested with independent judicial authority. Speaking at the reception, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the Macao SAR, Mr Ye Dabo, said that – with the full support of the Central Government – the Macao SAR had been developing further its connections with neighbouring countries. The latest meeting created fresh opportunities for exchanges with judicial and law enforcement authorities from the nine participating countries, said Mr Ye. Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr I Gusti Agung Sumanatha, said at the reception that a strengthened network of judicial authorities and enhanced legislation favouring investment and business would help bring about a more prosperous regional economy. Officials at Monday’s reception included: the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Chen Sixi; the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan; the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak; the Prosecutor-General, Mr Ip Son Sang; the Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Mr Ma Io Kun; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Iao Man Leng; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Security, Ms Cheong Ioc Ieng; and the Chief of Office of the Prosecutor-General, Mr Tam Peng Tong. Representatives of judicial and law enforcement agencies; of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; of consulates serving Macao; and of the Central Government also attended the reception.
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The Cinematheque．Passion, under the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), hosts a talk entitled “Documentary Production—Self-Exploration and Community Records”, conducted by Hong Kong director Tsang Tsui Shan, to be held on Saturday, 30 July, from 3pm to 5pm. Online applications are now accepted. Admission is free. Tsang’s films and videos embrace humanitarian concerns and vary in style. In the talk, she will share how it is possible to explore the community from one’s own perspective and make relevant records, and also she will give an account of her video series against the background of Ho Chung Village in Hong Kong. In 2012, Tsang won Best New Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards; her first feature film, Lovers on the Road, was awarded as the “Best Feature Film” at the South Taiwan Film Festival. Big Blue Lake, her second feature film, was critically acclaimed and secured the Asian New Talent Jury Prix at the 15th Shanghai International Film Festival and Recommended Movie at the 2011 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards. Tsang completed the documentary Flowing Stories and the romance film Scent, a collaboration of Chinese and Korean artists in 2014, both presented in cinemas in Mainland China and abroad. In recent years she has been committed to producing films about environmental protection and vulnerable groups. This year she was awarded the “Humanitarian Award” by Film Aid Asia. There are sixty seats available. All interested parties are welcome to enrol through IC’s Activity Registration System (www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event). For enquiries regarding the talks or the Cinematheque, please contact Mr. Leong, staff member of IC, through tel. no. (853) 2892 4040 during office hours. For details, please visit the Cultural Affairs Bureau website (www.icm.gov.mo) or Macao Cultural and Creative Industries Website (www.macaucci.com).
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ in July on 19 July for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets near Iao Hon Market and the Border Gate area (Portas do Cerco ) in N. Sra. de Fátima Parish. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. 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 around 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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Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has joined hands with the Supporting Office to the Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macao) to carry out their tourism training program for civil servants from tourism offices of Portuguese-speaking countries. The training program of 2016 was smoothly held and came to an end last week. MGTO has been persistently offering support to Portuguese-speaking countries to support the city’s goal to become a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure” as well as a “commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries”. In addition, through the training program, the Office aims to familiarize government tourism personnel from Portuguese-speaking countries with Macao’s tourism development and MGTO’s daily operation in order to further exchange and mutual learning while assisting the countries to cultivate talent in the field of tourism. Divided into three groups, a total of 25 government tourism personnel from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, East Timor and Angola came to Macao between April and July this year for training and internship opportunities at MGTO. The program included training at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) as well as field trips to local attractions and tourism facilities among other activities. The last group of trainees was finished with training last week. Further to that, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Deputy Secretary-General (appointed by the Macao SAR Government) of the Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macao) and Coordinator of the Supporting Office, Cristina Morais, President of IFT, Fanny Vong, and MGTO Deputy Director, Cheng Wai Tong, attended a welcome luncheon hosted for the first group of trainees and delegations from the countries concerned at the Educational Restaurant of IFT. In 2010, MGTO signed the memoranda of understanding on cooperation in tourism with Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, and following that, with East Timor and Angola in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Between 2012 and 2016, MGTO has trained a total of 98 government tourism personnel from the above Portuguese-speaking countries.
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The new issue of the Macao Higher Education Magazine - International Edition has been published. Interested parties can obtain the magazines in specific government departments, public libraries, higher education institutions etc. or access the website of the Tertiary Education Services Office (GAES) to view or download the magazine. The content of the Macao Higher Education Magazine – International Edition is comprehensive and diversified, comprising the discussion of relevant issues on higher education, overview of characteristic academic departments in local higher education institutions, sharing of students’ learning experiences, introduction of higher education students’ activities, information for further education, and the display of individual creations etc. The history of Macao’s modern higher education is not long, but it has been making prominent progress and attracting more and more non-local students to choose to further their studies in Macao. In this issue, the Magazine has interviewed some non-local students, who share their causes and thoughts of studying in Macao. In the meantime, the higher education institutions of Macao introduce their services and support, as well as extra-curriculum activities to non-local students. In addition, the Magazine introduces how the Macau University of Science and Technology presented the overview of Macao’s history through their research on antique maps from around the world in these two years. The University Librarian, Dr Paul Poon, who has recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Michigan, shares with the readers about the benefits and essence of reading. Magazine copies will be given out at GAES, Centre for Higher Education Students, Public Information Centre, Government Service Centre, public libraries, Macao’s higher education institutions, Plaza Cultural Macau, Starlight Bookstore etc. Interested parties can also browse the website of GAES (http://www.gaes.gov.mo/big5/) to view or download the new or previous issues for both the Chinese and International Edition of the Macao Higher Education Magazine.
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