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The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, said the prospects were bright for Macao and the Republic of Korea to cooperate in promoting further ties regarding culture and tourism. The Government pays great attention to cooperation with the Republic of Korea. The country last year contributed the highest number of international visitors in the Macao tourism market, said Mr Tam. Macao and the Republic of Korea have a number of similar characteristics, such as cultural diversity, friendly people and vigorous tourism markets, he added. Mr Tam’s comments were made on Tuesday (19 April) during a meeting in Seoul with the Republic of Korea’s 2nd Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kim Chong. Mr Tam was in Seoul to officiate at a Government promotional event called “Experience Macao – Korea”. The Secretary stated the Government would step up efforts to organise a greater number of international events relating to tourism, culture, sports and food, in a bid to diversify visitors’ experience in Macao. These would help Macao on the path to its development goal of becoming a world centre of tourism and leisure, he added. The Republic of Korea’s successful experience in promoting cultural and creative industries was an important reference point for Macao. Mr Tam also said he hoped to see more exchanges between the two places regarding cultural and creative industries. Mr Kim Chong said he was impressed by Macao’s cultural variety, the coexistence of Eastern and Western traditions, and the Government’s efforts to promote the tourism industry. He said he looked forward to further cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Macao on tourism, and that this would be effected via the country’s tourism office in Hong Kong. Macao officials attending Tuesday’s meeting in Seoul included: the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Ip Peng Kin; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; and MGTO’s Republic of Korea representative, Mr Lew Hwan Kyu. “Experience Macao – Korea” is a month-long promotional event aiming to appeal to the travel trade and designed to launch new Macao tourism products tailored to fit different market segments in the Republic of Korea.
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Three University of Macau (UM) students recently won a Best Individual Award and a Best Team Award at the Asia Pacific Model European Union (APMEU) 2016. The winner of the Best Individual Award is José Miguel Nuño de la Rosa Ortiz from the Faculty of Business Administration. The recipients of the Best Team Award are Nick Wauben and Han Xiangzhi from the Faculty of Social Sciences. Co-organised by the European Union Academic Programme Macau (EUAP-M) and its sister organisation in Hong Kong, the APMEU 2016 was held at the Hong Kong Baptist University. The two-day event brought together 22 undergraduate and postgraduate students from mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Macao. Participants discussed the current refugee crisis in Europe. Six students in three teams, including five students from UM and one from the Macau University of Science and Technology, participated in this year’s APMEU. Dr Sten Verhoeven from the Faculty of Law was a co-chair of the event. Established in 2012, the EUAP-M is a partnership between UM and the Institute of European Studies of Macau, and is co-funded by the EU. It aims to increase understanding of the EU on the part of the general public in Macao, especially students at all levels.
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The Health Bureau has urged the public to maintain high standards of personal hygiene and of environmental cleanliness, as well as taking protective measures against mosquitoes. The announcement was made following two confirmed cases of dengue fever respectively involving two non-resident workers, both of them living in Zhuhai Prefecture, in Guangdong Province. So far this year, there has been a total of four imported cases of dengue fever recorded in Macao. The new cases involve a 35-year-old woman who works in a restaurant near Avenida do Almirante Lacerda close to the Inner Harbour district on Macau peninsula; and a 32-year-old man who works at the Grand Lisboa Palace construction site on Cotai. They respectively reported having developed symptoms such as fever, joint pain and headache, with those symptoms starting last week. The patients said they had not travelled outside Zhuhai and Macao in the two weeks prior to developing the symptoms. On being informed of the cases, the Health Bureau immediately conducted anti-mosquito measures near the patients’ respective workplaces. Those people living or working near the areas where the patients work are urged to contact the Bureau on +853 2870 0800 if they develop similar symptoms. The Government has again appealed to the public to take adequate preventive measures against mosquito bites. These include wearing light-coloured and long-sleeved clothes and trousers when travelling overseas, especially in Southeast Asian countries where outbreaks of dengue infection can occur all year round. It is also recommended that the public use air-conditioning in homes and workplaces or fit windows with mosquito screens. They should also use mosquito repellent when outdoors. If members of the public develop symptoms such as fever and rash, they should seek medical help immediately.
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ in April on 19 April for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets at Lam Mau, Patane and San Kio areas in Santo António 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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The month-long “Taste of Macao: East meets West” food promotion and “Macao．Korea Travel Mart” began today (19 April) as two of the major highlights in the mega promotional event “Experience Macao – Korea” currently held in Korea. Through innovative and multidimensional promotion strategies, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hopes to inspire travel trade to launch brand new tourism products tailored to different market segments in Korea. The “Experience Macao” Gala Dinner was held tonight and attended by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Dr. Alexis Tam. Following the opening of the “Experience Macao Your Own Style” Road Show yesterday, which attracted many locals in Korea already, the month-long “Taste of Macao: East meets West” food promotion also commenced today. At night, MGTO hosted an “Experience Macao” Gala Dinner and invited nearly 200 representatives of governmental entities, travel trade and media from both Korea and Macao to embark upon a culinary journey combined with Macao Intangible Cultural Heritage, advanced technology and magical performance. With the Gala Dinner held, the “Taste of Macao: East meets West” food promotion was officially unveiled. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Dr. Alexis Tam; President of Korea Tourism Organization, Jung Chang Soo; Minister, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Korea, Hao Xiao Fei; Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ip Peng Kin; MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; Chairman of Korea Association of Travel Agents, Yang Moo Seung, and MGTO Korea representative, Lew Hwan Kyu, joined the wine toasting at the “Experience Macao” Gala Dinner. Forge ahead to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure During the Gala Dinner, Secretary Tam stated that having successfully developed tourism over the past decade, Macao is at the right time to pursue the goal of becoming a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. The hard work, energy and investments that have taken place must now be leveraged to take full advantage of the positive prospect of the global tourism trend. He remarked that the global tourism market is very competitive, but what truly makes Macao stand out is its story, its character and its people. The UNESCO heritage site, food, signature festivals and events as well as integrated resort complexes are all there to best reflect Macao’s unique city narrative. On the other hand, Macao is strategically located at the Pearl River Delta. Key infrastructures including the upcoming completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will open a new window of opportunities for Macao to collaborate with its counterparts from Mainland China and Hong Kong to offer multi-destination tourism to visitors from Korea and other international tourists from the region and beyond. Visitors will enjoy more choices and better connections. In addition, Macao is striving to increase its year-round appeal as a high quality, leisure and business tourism destination, thus increasing visitor satisfaction, length of stay and expenditure. He added that Macao has the vision to become a regional leader in dynamic tourism and this vision is supported by the SAR Government’s endeavor to give all the visitors a unique Macao experience. The SAR Government has been working together with its local and overseas trade partners who have specific market and segment expertise. Through close partnership with the trade, the SAR Government strives to deliver the full growth potential of tourism. President of Korea Tourism Organization, Jung Chang Soo, stated that Macao is well known as “Little Europe in Asia”, with its abundant tourism resources and infrastructures in an atmosphere inspired by East and West cultures. The city is fantastic with a good balance between sense of homogeneity and difference. All these attract over half a million Korean visitors every year to Macao. Young generations nowadays enjoy travel as a part of daily life with fluent foreign language skills and high technology devices. If Macao can keep providing distinguishable content and service, more Koreans will visit Macao. Minister, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Korea, Hao Xiao Fei, stated that in recent years, Macao has achieved new progress in its development into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. The booming tourism and MICE industries have fostered social and economic progress in Macao, while the prosperity of the industries plays an active role in advancing the city’s long-term development and helping it to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure with adequate diversification of the economy. Macao is a dynamic city with a thriving economic momentum and an abundant mix of local cultures and communities, which fully meets the demand of the Korean visitor market. She believes that as Macao makes a greater effort to promote its destination to Korea, the interchanges between Korea and Macao will become more in depth with more Koreans choosing Macao as their leisure destination. MGTO Director Senna Fernandes expressed her hope that the Macao food promotion can reach a great range of people and as a result, to attract more Koreans to visit Macao in person. Recognizing the enormous potential in the Korean market, MGTO will march ahead with more effective promotional strategies. She conveyed her appreciation to the travel trade partners, media of both Macao and Korea for their support in tapping into the great potential for further growth in Macao’s Korean tourism market. During the Gala Dinner, Macao chefs prepared an exquisite menu of Macanese dishes from Macao for the guests. The dinner also marked MGTO’s newest gimmick to present the food with holographic projection. The guests could enjoy the entire virtual journey without putting on 3D glasses. The captivating performance presented by the House of Magic also tinged the Gala Dinner with a mysterious ambience. Promote Macao with culinary delights Another highlight of the “Experience Macao – Korea” mega promotional event is the month-long “Taste of Macao: East meets West” food promotion. To promote “Macanese Gastronomy”, a listed Macao Intangible Cultural Heritage, MGTO has invited three Macao chefs to prepare signature Macanese dishes for locals and visitors in Korea. Starting from 19 April until 18 May, patrons can enjoy Macanese delicacies during lunch or dinner hours at the buffet restaurant Tavolo 24 in JW Marriot Dongdaemun Square. Located at the hotel rooftop, The Griffin Bar also features a menu of Macao’s signature snacks and special drinks. Both catering outlets are decorated after the theme of the World Heritage monuments and new attractions in Macao, for patrons to experience the city’s aroma to the full. Encourage trade to launch new products MGTO is holding “Macao．Korea Travel Mart” in Seoul and Busan on 19 and 21 April respectively for members of travel trade from Korea and Macao to build connections and discuss business opportunities with each other. The Office again invites travel trade to participate in its “Macao Tourism Product Promotion Scheme” and forge new partnerships. Korean trade attendees may get sponsored by launching new tourism products in the market. This year, the Travel Mart is attended by over 40 trade delegates from airport company, as well as airlines, ferry operators, hotels, travel agencies and related sectors from Macao. Around 110 members of travel trade of Seoul joined the travel mart on the first day, proving the great potential in the Korean Market. Following the visit to Seoul, the MGTO delegation will hold a travel mart and networking dinner in Busan to create more exchange and cooperation opportunities for Macao trade delegates and their Korean counterparts. The team will also ride on the occasion to encourage trade partners to launch new tourism products tailor made for the Korean market.
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The Government is committed to improving the management in Macao of dangerous substances, in a bid further to protect the public’s safety and the safety of their property, as well as in order to support the growth of local industry. In the near term, the Government plans to establish a mechanism to coordinate work relating to dangerous substances. Such materials include hazardous and flammable chemicals and industrial gases. The new management system would include monitoring the transportation of dangerous substances, and communication and coordination with neighbouring areas in case of any accident caused by hazardous products. The Government pays great attention to the management of hazardous substances and dangerous goods. Following an explosion in Tianjin on the mainland last August, the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, immediately requested all public departments to optimise safety management procedures for such substances and goods. The issue was also discussed in a meeting of the Security Council – an advisory body on public security policy – held in December. The Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak, was appointed by the Chief Executive to oversee interdepartmental coordination regarding the handling of dangerous substances and for the optimisation of Macao’s regulations on hazardous substances and dangerous goods. In addition, the Fire Services Bureau on Monday (18 April) met with five local companies that deal with industrial gases. The meeting was held in order for the Bureau to gain more knowledge on the latest developments in the industry.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the continuation of bilateral cooperation with the Portuguese Republic on judicial and legal matters was greatly significant for Macao. This was in the view of the history between Macao and Portugal and the friendly relations between the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Portuguese Republic, he said. Mr Chui’s comments were made on Monday (18 April) during a meeting at the Government Headquarters with the Prosecutor-General of the Portuguese Republic, Ms Joana Marques Vidal. Mr Chui said he hoped the system – whereby judges and prosecutors from Portugal come to Macao to assist in justice administration – could be continued. Over the years, Portuguese judges and prosecutors had won wide recognition from the community for their professionalism. Since the establishment of the SAR, Macao and Portugal had signed several agreements on legal and judicial cooperation. There is also ongoing cooperation with the European Union – of which Portugal is a member – regarding education and training in legal affairs. The Government highly values the principle of judicial independence, as it is a cornerstone of Macao’s development, Mr Chui said. Mr Chui also expressed his gratitude for the administrative support provided by Portugal’s public prosecution system since the establishment of the SAR. Ms Vidal said – in a message from the High Council of the Public Prosecution Office – that Portugal would continue sending judges and prosecutors to Macao. She said Macao and Portugal would further extend links on judicial and legal matters, such as in the training of local prosecutors and the strengthening of judicial cooperation. She stated that the independence of the judiciary from other branches of government is also important in Portugal, adding that she was pleased to know the SAR Government and the Chief Executive paid great attention to such matters. The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, also attended the meeting, and expressed her pleasure that Portuguese judges and prosecutors would continue to come to Macao. This would help develop exchanges between Portugal and Macao on legal matters. The Public Prosecutor-General of Macao, Mr Ip Son Sang, who was also at Monday’s meeting, said governance according to law and respect for judicial independence provided the necessary strong framework for the Public Prosecutions Office to fulfil its duties. Macao officials also at the meeting included the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam, and the Chief of Office of the Public Prosecutions Office, Mr Tam Peng Tong. Portugal’s representatives at the meeting included: the Consul General of the Consulate-General of Portugal in Macao, Mr Vítor Sereno; the Director of the Central Department of Investigation and Prosecution and Deputy Prosecutor-General of the Portuguese Republic, Mr Amadeu Francisco Ribeiro Guerra; member of the High Council of the Public Prosecution Office and Deputy Prosecutor-General, Jorge Manuel Alves de Oliveira; and the Chief of Office of the Prosecutor-General’s Office, Ms Helena de Jesus Fernandes Gonçalves, who is also a public prosecutor. After the meeting with the Chief Executive, the delegation representing Portugal’s Public Prosecution Office also met Mr Ip Son Sang in the headquarters of Macao’s Public Prosecutions Office. Today (19 April), the delegation is scheduled to have a meeting with Ms Chan Hoi Fan and another with the President of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Sam Hou Fai. The delegation will additionally visit the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and courts in Macao. The delegation will leave for Beijing tomorrow (20 April), concluding its five-day visit in Macao.
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The Macao Museum of Art (MAM), under the Cultural Affairs Bureau, has launched the “Macao Arts Window” since 2012, which aims to encourage creativity and develop the contemporary arts in Macao. The theme of this edition of the “Macao Arts Window” is the exhibition “Encounter – Printmaking by Catherine, Cheong Cheng Wa”, the vernissage will be held on this Thursday, 21 April, at 6:30pm, on the third floor of MAM. The artist will give a finishing touch to her works by varnishing them. All are welcome. The “Macao Arts Window” aims to provide an open and diverse exhibition spaces and exchange platform, and encourage local artists to explore and express concepts and forms of contemporary art. Catherine, Cheong Cheng Wa obtained a degree in Graphic Design at the Macao Polytechnic Institute in 2003 and then went to France to further her studies. In 2008, she graduated in Visual Arts, specialised in video installations, from the School of Art and Design, Toulon Provence Mediterranean, (l’ésadtpm), in France. Following her return to Macau, she actively participated in different types of art exhibitions. As specialized in printmaking, she has participated in “Macao Stories 2 – Love in the City” and other films as artistic director in film as well as supporting in the organization of art exhibitions. In 2015, she won the first prize in the international competition “The 2nd Macao Printmaking Triennial” with her work “Macao People”. Printmaking in this exhibition portrays the artist’s experiences and perceptions during her four-year stay in France: landlords, tenants and their homes; friends from all over the world, work colleagues, classmates and teachers of languages and arts schools, etc. Through the exchange with friends from different culture, background and customs, the artist realizes that friendship is without language barriers and learns about herself more deeply through the process of perception of human nature, of experiencing good and evil, of building personal values and of attitude towards life. Through her printmaking and engraving works, the artist tries to describe each person whom she met in a kind of portrait where she adds elements which are significant and valuable to herself or themselves, illustrating the story between those people and the artist. The exhibition “Encounter – Printmaking by Catherine, Cheong Cheng Wa” will be held until 5 June at the Macao Museum of Art, located in NAPE, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, and is open daily from 10am to 7pm (no admittance after 6:30pm; closed on Mondays). Admission fee is MOP5 and is free on Sundays and public holidays. For enquiries, please call the MAM through tel. 8791 9814 during office hours, or visit the MAM’s webpage at www.MAM.gov.mo.
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Prof Ben U Seng Pan from the University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Science and Technology, who is also the deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, has been appointed a member of the Seventh Science and Technology Commission of the Ministry of Education. Prof U is the first and only scholar from Macao to be appointed a member of the Science and Technology Commission of the Ministry of Education. Earlier, Prof U also became the first Macao-educated scholar to be elevated to the fellowship of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). According to the Constitution of the Science and Technology Commission released by the Ministry of Education, the Science and Technology Commission serves as the Ministry of Education’s consultative organ on matters related to higher education, science, and technology. It also serves as a think tank of the government, providing services to higher education institutions, research institutes, and other organisations in society, in the field of science and technology. This year, 90 experts have been appointed members of the Science and Technology Commission. 77 of them come from renowned Chinese universities, including Tsinghua University and Peking University; 13 come from other institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Of the 90 newly appointed members, 56 are academicians of the CAS and CAE, with the rest being renowned professors, experts, and university presidents and vice presidents.
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To implement the policy of developing featured financial industry and to promote financial leasing business development in Macao SAR, with the full support from the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR and the assistance from the Chairman Bank of the Macau Association of Banks (i.e. Bank of China Macau Branch), the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) organized the “Development of Financial Leasing Business in the Macao SAR Forum” in Beijing on 14th April, 2016. Yao Jian, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Fang Li-Ming, Deputy Director of International Department of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, as well as the representatives of Finance Services Bureau and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute have attended the Forum. Other guests attending the Forum included the representatives from China Development Bank, Leasing Business Committee of China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, the Macau Association of Banks, Macau Insurers’ Association and the major financial leasing corporations in Mainland China and Macao. At the forum, the mainland specialists, scholars and industry practitioners shared their experiences and raised valuable suggestions relating to the development of financial leasing in Macao, in particular, their opinions on the enhancement of relevant operating environment by offering more preferential treatments. Together with the comments collected earlier from the local industry practitioners and other related parties, and the results of our own thematic studies, the AMCM will make recommendations on the enhancements of the legal regime and regulatory arrangements for financial leasing business, and report accordingly to the SAR Government. In the same occassion, the AMCM also introduced to the mainland participants the conditions, potentials and strengths of developing financial leasing business in Macao. These included Macao’s free market economic system, specialized legal framework and tax benefits for the financial leasing business, close connection with international financial markets, unique geographical and historical advantages, and especially, Macao’s role as a service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, etc. At the forum, the AMCM responded to the participants’ enquiries, deepening their understanding of the relevant situation in Macao, which may facilitate the development, cooperation and expansion of the financial leasing industry of both sides. During this trip to Beijing, the AMCM, together with the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, took the opportunity to visit the People’s Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission to discuss and exchange views on relevant cooperation and policies supporting the development of financial leasing business in Macao as well as the establishment of Macao as the “RMB Clearing Platform for Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”.
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