News

Macao is to organise a wide range of activities and events on Tuesday to mark the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region. Highlights will include a flag-raising ceremony at Lotus Square at 8 am and a reception hosted by the Government at Macau Tower at 9:30 am. To bring fun and entertainment to the public, Macao Sport Development Board is to stage a concert at Macao Stadium at 2 pm. In addition, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has firstly organised the "Parade through Macau, Latin City" at 3:30pm. Artists and groups from all over the globe, along with numerous local talents, will set out on their performing journey from the city's iconic Ruins of St. Paul's, continuing on to the enchanting St. Lazarus Church and surrounding District through brightly decorated streets and alleys until reaching the final destination on Tap Seac Square. The Macao Post will issue commemorative covers and offer hand-back services to the public. In the evening, the Macau Government Tourist Office will present a firework display off Macau Tower at 9 pm.
…

Recently, Rector of the University of Macau (UM) Prof. Wei Zhao received the Outstanding Technical Achievement and Leadership Award from the Technical Committee on Real-Time Systems (TCRTS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This award is given to individuals with outstanding technical achievements and leadership. Rector Wei Zhao received the award at the IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium (RTSS) 2011, held in Vienna, Austria, on 1 December. RTSS is a top international conference in the field of real-time systems and embedded systems, and provides a platform for showcasing the latest research achievements in the field. The fact that Rector Wei Zhao received the Outstanding Technical Achievement and Leadership Award from IEEE TCRTS shows international recognition of his achievements in the field. During his visit to Europe this time, Rector Wei Zhao also met with Lesley Wilson, secretary general of the European University Association, and Elsa Hackl, a professor at the University of Vienna and a former senior official at the Austrian Ministry for Education, Research and Culture. The discussions covered issues related to the enhancement of academic exchange and improvement of the governance of public institutions. Ambassador Song Zhe, head of the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union, hosted a banquet for Rector Wei Zhao. Rector Wei Zhao is the chief scientist for a key project on the Internet of Things (IOT) under the "973 Programme", otherwise known as the "National Key Fundamental Research Development Programme". He has made significant contributions in distributed computing, real-time systems, computer networks, and cyberspace security. Earlier this year, he was named, along with President of Peking University Prof. Zhou Qifeng and former CEO of General Electric Jack Welch, by his alma mater University of Massachusetts Amherst among the top 50 high-achieving alumni since the university's founding in 1863. One of his papers on IOT ranked among the most cited papers published in IEEE Transactions between 2009 and 2011.
…

The University of Macau (UM) has appointed world-renowned scholar of law Chair Professor John Shijian Mo as the new dean of its Faculty of Law (FLL). 16 December, Prof. Mo officially assumed office as the dean of FLL at UM. UM Rector Wei Zhao said he believes that Prof. Mo's rich managerial experience and extensive interpersonal networks will help FLL scale new heights. Prof. Mo has worked at the City University of Hong Kong, Deakin University, and the China University of Political Science and Law where he has served as dean of the International Law School since June 2005. He is a Chinese member of the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, the vice president of the China Society for International Economic Law, and the vice president of the China Society of International Commercial Law. He has published two hundred academic papers, books and book chapters, and has received numerous important research grants. Prof. Mo is also an arbitrator of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, and the China Maritime Arbitration Commission. Prof. Mo noted that in the future, in addition to enhancing teaching and research quality and educating high-calibre law specialists proficient in the Chinese and Portuguese languages to satisfy the demand of the local market, FLL also needs to enhance academic ties with neighboring countries and regions and play a greater role internationally. He hopes to attract more outstanding students with bi-lingual proficiency through curriculum reform.
…

The English edition of Macao Yearbook 2011, an annual publication compiled by the Government Information Bureau (GCS) of the Macao SAR, will be launched tomorrow, alongside with the launch of the free iPhone App of Macao Yearbook. The English edition of Macao Yearbook 2011 comprises 647 pages and is enriched by 155 photographs. It is divided into five sections: Administrative Priorities of the MSAR Government; Calendar of Events; Review of the MSAR; Overview of the MSAR; and Appendices. Consisting of 16 chapters, the Overview of the MSAR presents information on the political and administrative system; legal and judicial system; external relations; economy; gaming industry; tourism; public order; education; culture and sport; health and social welfare; media, communications and information technology; land, infrastructure, housing and public utilities; transport; geography, environment and population; religion and customs; and history. The Macao Yearbook 2011, together with a complimentary CD-ROM containing the PDF version of the yearbook, can be purchased at the following places at 120 patacas or 120 Hong Kong dollars per copy: major local bookstores; the Government Public Information Centre at Rua do Campo; and the Macao Post Office (Macao Post)'s Philatelic Division, Rua do Campo Branch, Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal Branch, Macau International Airport Branch, and Nova Taipa Branch. During the promotional period lasting until 31 March 2012, a 20 percent discount will be offered to any purchase of Macao Yearbook 2011. The Chinese and Portuguese editions of Macao Yearbook 2011 were launched earlier in November. The Macao Yearbook iPhone App offers three editions of the Macao Yearbook from 2009 to 2011 in three languages, namely Chinese, Portuguese and English. It is available for free download at the App Store; alternatively it can be downloaded through a link on the Government Information Bureau's Website www.gcs.gov.mo. The Macao Yearbook App for tablet computers will be launched at a later date.
…

The Nomenclature for the External Trade of Macao/Harmonized System, 5th Revision (NCEM/HS Rev.5), approved under Executive Order No. 68/2011, will come into effect from 1 January 2012. In accordance with the latest recommendations of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the current revision incorporates separate identification of certain marine and agricultural products, new subheadings for specific chemical substances of ecological concern in conformity to the Rotterdam Convention and the Montreal Protocol, as well as the changes to the merchandise import and export of Macao in recent years. With the implementation of NCEM/HS Rev.5, the import and export declarations and licenses must be completed in accordance with the new commodity codes. To facilitate smooth adoption of NCEM/HS Rev.5, the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has introduced the following measures to assist the import/export operators: 1. Specialized webpage. Users can browse the DSEC website (www.dsec.gov.mo) to download the whole document or individual chapter of NCEM/HS Rev.5, old and new coding correlation tables, list of frequently used commodity code, etc. Users can also use commodity keyword to search the respective code in NCEM/HS, Rev.5. 2. Enquiry hotline. Import/export operators may call the hotlines at 2831 4738, 2831 4650 and 2831 4710 to enquire the commodity code. 3. Enquiry email. Any difficulty in looking up the commodity code can be sent to hs@dsec.gov.mo. In addition, DSEC has printed copy and CD-ROM of the NCEM/HS Rev.5 that is available free of charge to the import/export operators and HS users. To obtain a copy, please call the enquiry hotlines or visit the Documentation and Information Centre of DSEC at Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, No. 411-417, Dynasty Plaza, 17th floor during office hours.
…

The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR's foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP265.0 billion (USD33.04 billion) at the end of November 2011. The reserves rose by 4.6% from the revised value of MOP253.4 billion (USD31.69 billion) for the previous month. When compared with a year earlier, the reserves increased by MOP82.8 billion or 45.4%. Macao SAR's foreign exchange reserves at end-November 2011 represented 45 times the currency in circulation or 362.8% of Pataca M2 at end-October 2011. The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the pataca, a gauge of the domestic currency's exchange rates against the currencies of Macao's major trading partners, remained unchanged from the previous month at 87.83, but fell by 1.19 points over the same period last year. For enquiry, please contact:
Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao (Tel: 83952532; Fax: 28353042)
…

A partir de 15 de Dezembro, a Direcção dos Serviços de Turismo (DST) divulga de forma permanente na sua página electrónica a tabela de preços de quarto de hotel e pensões fornecida pelos operadores para facilitar a consulta de residentes e visitantes que queiram reservar quartos na cidade. Caso os hóspedes efectuem a reserva directamente junto dos estabelecimentos hoteleiros de Macau, a DST informa que o preço não deve ultrapassar o limite divulgado na tabela. Em relação às reservas feitas por outros meios, nomeadamente através de agências de viagem ou de serviços de reserva on-line, a tabela disponível "online" pode ser usada como referência. De acordo com a actual legislação, os estabelecimentos hoteleiros licenciados em Macau são obrigados a informar a DST sobre mudanças na tabela de preços. Os estabelecimentos hoteleiros não devem cobrar preços mais elevados do que os assinalados na tabela registada sob pena de, após recepção de queixas, a DST averiguar os casos. Os interessados em consultar informações sobre os estabelecimentos hoteleiros e tabela de preços podem fazê-lo em www.macautourism.gov.mo. Para apresentação de queixas, contactar a Linha Aberta para o Turismo 28333000. Os queixosos devem fornecer a data de "check-in" e "check-out", o nome do estabelecimento hoteleiro, categoria do quarto e/ou número do quarto, a referência da reserva e comprovativo de pagamento, para facilitar as averiguações. Este ano, por altura do 1 de Maio, Dia do Trabalhador, a DST divulgou pela primeira vez, a tabela de preços de quartos de hotel e pensões para esta altura, reportados pelos estabelecimentos. A divulgação foi feita também por altura do 1 de Outubro e o Grande Prémio de Macau. Dada a boa recepção da medida, a DST decidiu tornar a divulgação permanente. Este texto está disponível em: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo
…

Macau Government Tourist Office starts to publish the rates of different hotels and guesthouses room categories on its website on a permanent basis from December 15 as a reference for residents and visitors. MGTO expressed that for guests who reserve rooms directly with the hotels, the price cannot exceed the limit of the rates published. However, if bookings are done through any other channels, namely travel agencies or on-line reservation services, the room rates published on the website can only be taken as reference. According to the current regulation, all hotels and guesthouses need to inform MGTO of any revised room rates. The rate of a rented room should not be higher than the registered one and MGTO will conduct investigation upon receiving complaint. Guests can check hotel information and the published room rates at MGTO website (http://www.macautourism.gov.mo) or call Tourism Hotline 28333000 to file complaint. To facilitate investigation, complainants should state clearly information such as the date of check in, hotel name, room category and/or room number, booking voucher and receipt. During May 1 Labor Day holiday this year, MGTO published for the first time the rates of different hotels and guesthouses room categories reported by the trade ahead of the holiday. This measure, also implemented during National Day holiday and Macau Grand Prix, was well received and MGTO decided to publish the rates on a permanent basis.
…

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that visitor arrivals in package tours soared by 60.9% year-on-year to 637,345 in October 2011. Visitors from Mainland China (460,660); Taiwan, China (43,594); Hong Kong (31,189) and the Republic of Korea (24,166) surged by 67.7%, 97.7%, 46.5% and 104.9% respectively. In the first ten months of 2011, visitor arrivals in package tours increased by 20.4% year-on-year to 5,744,610. In October 2011, Macao residents travelling outbound in package tours decreased by 7.1% year-on-year to 17,844. The most popular tour itineraries were Mainland China (75.6% of total); Taiwan, China (5.0%); and Thailand (4.1%). In the first ten months of 2011, outbound residents in package tours decreased by 5.6% year-on-year to 194,510. Meanwhile, outbound residents travelling under own arrangements using services of travel agencies increased by 29.3% year-on-year to 59,925; the main destinations were Mainland China (53.9% of total); Hong Kong (17.8%); and Taiwan, China (14.4%). In the first ten months of 2011, outbound residents travelling under such arrangements increased by 27.9% year-on-year to 523,130. At the end of October 2011, number of available guest rooms of hotels and guest-houses totalled 22,330, up by 2,481 rooms (+12.5%) year-on-year, with that of 5-star hotels accounting for 63.7% of the total. Hotels and guest-houses received 714,094 guests in October 2011, up by 13.3% year-on-year, with the majority coming from Mainland China (56.9% of total) and Hong Kong (16.3%). The average length of stay of guests increased by 0.06 night to 1.6 nights. The average occupancy rate of hotels and guest-houses was 81.5%, up by 3.0 percentage points year-on-year. Average occupancy rate of hotels was 82.1%, with 3-star hotels leading at 85.8%. Number of guests increased by 10.1% year-on-year to 7,011,323 in the first ten months of 2011; average occupancy rate of hotels and guest-houses stood at 83.0%, up by 4.3 percentage points from a year earlier. In the first ten months of 2011, visitor-guests accounted for 61.6% of the total number of tourists (overnight visitors), higher than 60.6% in the same period of 2010.
…

Consumer Council's quarterly specific price survey on rice revealed that prices of Thai rice brands, in comparison with last quarter's data, had increased by over 10 percent, prices of Australian rice brands, on the contrary, had been stable. The specific price survey on rice for Q4 was conducted on 6th December. In comparison with data from last quarter, 6 out of 11 surveyed Thai rice brands recorded price increase of over 10 percent, prices of 'Golden Rice King (10kg)', '"Tsing Ling Gi" Thai Hom Mali Rice (10kg)', and 'Golden Earth (10kg)' all recorded price increases from 10 to 20 percent. Meanwhile, price of Japanese rice brand 'Japanese Variety Pearl Rice (5kg)' had also increased by 10 percent. The most significant price drop was found in 'Double Ram Australian Calrose Rice (5kg)' in which price had dropped by around 6 percent in Q4, a price decrease of 26 percent was even recorded at one retail spot. In the current survey, prices of Australian brands and brands from other countries tend to be more stable. Consumer Council summarizes that rice prices in local market were stable in the first three quarters but tended to accelerate in the last quarter. For prices of the same brand sold in different retail outlets, significant price discrepancies still exists in certain outlets, and a price variation of over 25 percent was observed this time in the product 'Red Lotus (5kg)'. The latest specific price survey on rice can be accessed at the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), consumers may also get access to individual pages of each rice brand on the 'Price Information Platform' to get full details of rice price. For inquiry, please call 89889315. The above article is accessible at http://www.consumer.gov.mo/c/ccnews.asp
…