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The Central Government and the Government of Guangdong Province will continue to support and co-operate with the Macao SAR and Hong Kong SAR as they have done in the past, said the Secretary for Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC, Mr Zhang Dejiang, when he met the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, in Guangzhou today. The Chief Executive led a high-level official delegation to Guangzhou this morning. Upon his arrival, he held talks with Mr ZhangThe Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Huang Huahua and the Executive Vice-Governor, Mr Tang Bingquan, also attended the meeting. “Macau and Guangdong have a fraternal relationship and are working hand in glove,” Mr Zhang described the ties. “The year 2004 is a good year for development. The Central Government will continue to support Macao and Hong Kong with adaqueate measures,” Mr Zhang said. Mr. Zhang also expressed his sincere expectations for Macao to further develop in the future. The Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Joint Conference was held in the afternoon. A press conference was jointly held after the meeting and thethe Government of Guangdong Province hosted a banquet to welcome the Macao delegation at in the evening. Members of the official delegation comprise the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen, the Chief of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Ho Veng On, the Chief of the Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Grace Cheong, the Chief of the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim, the Chief of the Office of the Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Alexis Tam, among other officials.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho will head an official delegation to Guangzhou on Tuesday to participate the The Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Joint Conference, strengthening the links with counterpart. Mr. Ho will hold talk with the Secretary for Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC Mr Zhang Dejiang in the morning, and attend the working meeting in the afternoon. A press conference will be held after the meeting. The Government of Guangdong Province will host banquet to welcome the Macao delegation at nighttime. Members of the official delegation comprises the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen, the Chief of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Ho Veng On, the Chief of the Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Grace Cheong, the Chief of the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Lok Kit Sim, the Chief of the Office of the Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Alexis Tam, etc. The Chief Executive will return to Macao on the same day. Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Joint Conference , which is annually based, aims at studying and coordinating the development of trade, infrastructure, environment protection, education, culture and technology of the two areas.
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The 10th International Conference of the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation will be held from 23rd to 25th of November in Macau, under the theme “a road to the future – international cooperation fighting crime”. The opening ceremony will be held, at 09:30 am on the 23rd of November at the Macau Tower, in the presence of the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah. The Conference, co-organised by the Macau Public Prosecution Office and the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation, will focus on terrorism, corruption, money laundering, counterfeiting of cash and credit cards, fraud and other related crimes. The Asia Crime Prevention Foundations (ACPF) is an international non-governmental organisation, established in 1982, to promote sustainable development, peace and stability in Asia and the world through more effective crime prevention, criminal justice policies and practices, and mutual cooperation among all those concerned The ultimate goal of ACPF is "Prosperity Without Crime." ACPF was granted as a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1991, and was promoted to a General Consultative Status with UN on 3rd May 2000 by the resolution of ECOSOC. Macau Public Prosecution Office expects, through this conference, to push forward the international and regional judiciary cooperation, and continue to promote that mechanism having in consideration the principles “One Country, Two Systems”, equity, reciprocity and efficacy in a way to develop the co-operation and interchange in the judiciary, legal areas and staff training.
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The Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R. Government will organize a Research Grant Lecture in Tap Seac Gallery at 6:30pm on November 23rd. Mr. Yu Sanle, an associate researcher in the History Department of the Beijing Administration College, will give a lecture on “The 400th Anniversary of Beijing’s Nantang (South) Church: Testament to Chinese and Western Cultural Exchange during the Ming and Qing Dynasties”. Mr. Yu Sanle’s lecture will look at Beijing as the focus for cultural exchange between China and Europe in China from 1601, when Matteo Ricci entered Beijing, to 1774 when the Holy See disbanded the Society of Jesus. Beijing’s Nantang (South) Church, which was constructed in 1605, became the core of this centre. In addition to his work in the History Department of the Beijing Administration College, Mr. Yu Sanle is also vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Matteo Ricci Chapter of the Society of Chinese Ming History. His works include The Western Missionaries and Beijing in the First Modern Period (awarded second prize in the 7th Beijing Philosophy and Social Sciences Achievements Awards), the translated work From Matteo Ricci to Johann Adam Schall von Bell – Late Ming Jesuit Missionaries, and several articles published in the Cultural Institute’s Review of Culture. This research topic was awarded a grant in the 11th Research Scholarship Competition of the Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R. Government. Tap Seac Gallery is located at No. 95, Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida Avenue near the Central Library. Those who are interested may join the lecture at 6:30pm on November 23. Cantonese, Portuguese and English simultaneous interpretation will be provided. Entrance is free. For more information, please contact Ms. Chu at the Studies, Research and Publication Division (5993105) of the Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R. Government, or visit the Cultural Institute’s website: www.icm.gov.mo.
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The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Dr Chui Sai-on today (18 Nov) told the press that he was satisfied with the preparations for the 51st Macau Grand Prix (MGP) during his visit in the Grand Prix Building. Accompanied by the Coordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Committee (MGPC) Mr Costa Antunes, Dr Chui was briefed on the working conditions of each subcommittee of the Macau Grand Prix Committee. “I’m pleased with the overall preparation, especially the security of the Guia circuit, and the first practice day went smoothly and was in order,” said the Secretary. More than nine hundred media professionals from some two hundred organizations have come to cover the 51st Macau Grand Prix which help to promote Macao internationally. It is expected that sixteen million tourists may come to Macao this year, meaning the MGP may attract an appreciable number of visitors.
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To cope with the demand of air transport between the inland and Macao, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM) and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) meet regularly every year to discuss the air services and the market demand between the two places. This year, the two authorities met on 22 September in Beijing to hold discussions and came up with preliminary conclusions. The two delegations met on 17 November in Macao to continue the discussions and signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at 16:00 on the same day. The two parties also agreed to continue to hold regular meetings in the future to strengthen cooperation. The signatories were the Acting President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong and the Deputy Director General of the Transport Department of CAAC, Mr. He Jinri. The new MOU greatly enhances the liberalization of the air transport market between the two places: the destinations have been increased from 31 to 37; the capacity has also been raised, with passenger and cargo combination services increased to 539 flights per week (a rise of 82%) and all-cargo services increased from 25 to 50 flights per week. In what regards airline designation, the old MOU only allowed each party to designate one airline to operate. But the new MOU states that since the winter schedule of 2004, each party is allowed to designate two airlines to operate, except for Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and since the summer schedule of 2006, all designated airlines are allowed to operate services to all destinations. Co-terminalization on the service points is allowed with the exception of the following points: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. But the designated airlines of Macao do not have traffic rights between the co-terminal destinations. In the area of airline cooperation, the designated airlines of both places can cooperate with each other through code-sharing, except third party code-sharing. The above arrangement has put into consideration the potential development of the Macao aviation industry under the present environment and paved way for big expansion in the future. Apart from the above conclusions, the two authorities also discussed issues such as allowing foreign airlines to fly to the inland through Macao. But due to technical factors, CAAC is not able to fulfill all the requests of the Macao side at the present stage. Despite this, the two parties agreed to discuss the issues in the future. Apart from the two signatories, the delegations also comprised: from Macao -- the Director of Air Transport and International Relations of AACM, Mr. António Menano and the Consultant of Air Transport and International Relations of AACM, Mr. Ren Jinfang; from China -- the Vice Director of the Office of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of CAAC, Ms. Wu Li, the Deputy Director of the Domestic Air Transport Division of the Transport Department of CAAC, Ms. Su Hong, the Deputy Director of the Air Traffic Flow Management of Air Traffic Management Bureau, Mr. Zhang TongGuo and the Officer of the Domestic Air Transport Division of the Transport Department of CAAC, Ms. Shang KeJia. Representatives from CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd., Administration of Airports Ltd., Air Macau Co. Ltd. and East Asia Airlines Ltd. also attended the signing ceremony.
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The Chief Executive,Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah said in his Policy Address 2005 today that the MSAR Government was devoted to lift the quality of life of the residents Macao. He announced an old age allowance scheme in addition to continue deductions on income tax, property tax and exemption on some other taxes and fees implemented two years ago. Stamp duty on some bank and insurance transactions would also be abolished. Mr Ho said the MSAR Government would step up administrative reforms and intensify the accountability of officials at all grades, as well as gathering and listening to public opinion. The government would also continue the legal reforms, he said, indicating that these would focus on areas that concerned the society concerns the most. The government would also increase the use of Chinese in the judicial area, he said. Mr Ho said the government would formulate a comprehensive and visionary policy for city planning and infrastructure. On economy, he said the government would continue to strengthen the major industries, such as the gaming and the tourism industry. He acknowledged the urgency to deal with the traffic issues and the said the government would step up its study on the viability of a mass transportation programme. The government would continue to take part in regional cooperation, in accordance with the advantages of Macao, he said. “Forging external relations and cooperation is a long term strategy and a pragmatic way of governing,” said Mr Ho. On education, he said that the Government would propel education reforms in order to lay a primary foundation for an advance education system in its second term. He said more regulations will be induced in education in accordance with the freedom of education, thus the two ideas can be balanced and complement each other. Stronger identity of the country and its cultural heritage, independent mind, generally knowledgeable and better managing of foreign languages were some of the qualities Mr Ho expected the reform would bring to students in Macao. Mr. said that the of “One country two systems” and “Macao people ruling Macao” principles, as well as a high degree of autonomy were the major premises for the development of Macao. He said democratic development in the Government would be gradually pushed forward in accordance with the Basic Law and as required by the development of the society. In addition, the Government would promote democracy in different levels of the society, create a larger arena for residents to participate in the consultation for public affairs, thus building a solid foundation for the development of sophisticated democracy. Mr Ho will attend a Questions and Answers session relating to his Policy Address between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday (17 November), at the Legislative Assembly to answer members' questions. This is the sixth policy address of Mr Ho and the first one after he was re-elected for a second term in August this year.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho, will present his Policy Address 2005 at the plenary meeting of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (16 November) at 3 pm. After delivering the speech, the Chief Executive will meet the press at Government Headquarters at 5.00 pm to explain his policy initiatives. Mr Ho will attend a Questions and Answers session relating to his Policy Address between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday (17 November), at the Legislative Assembly to answer members' questions. The Chief Executive's Policy Address, his meeting with the press and the Questions and Answers sessions will be webcast live on the MSAR Government web site (http://www.macau.gov.mo), website of the Legislative Assembly (http://www.al.gov.mo) and the Infomac webpage (http://www.infomac.gov.mo) webpage of and broadcast live on local television station, TDM.
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On November 13 and 14, Macau will host the penultimate round of the 2004 Asian Karting Open Championships (AKOC) as part of the Motorsport Festival – Grand Prix Carnival. Through the efforts of the Sports Development Board (SDB), the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the China-Macau Autosports Club (ACMC), Macau has been confirmed as the fourth round of the region’s leading karting series. In addition to Macau, the Championships includes stops in Malaysia, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and is recongnised as the most challenging karting series in the region. With its line up of some the region’s most talented youngsters, the addition of the Macau round has encouraged more than 120 karters from China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and, of course, Macau etc, to sign up for the series. Launched in 2002, the objectives of the AKOC are to develop karting as a sport in the region and to the increase levels of driver skill. These aims are in line with the on-going programmes of the Macau Grand Prix Committee and the ACMC in promoting motorsport and encouraging competitive excellence. The series comprises five different classes, with a special class introduced this year as a direct consequence of the inclusion of Macau on the calendar, the Macau Piston Port Cup, for National C License holders aged 15 or above in 100cc karts. The other racing categories in the AKOC are: Formula 100 open (Formula A) / Macau ICA Cup, the premier class and the highest category in the series for International B License holders aged 15 or above; the Rotax Max Senior/Masters, the best supported class, for International C License holders aged 17 years or above in Rotax Max 125cc karts; the Rotax Max Junior, for International C License youngsters aged between 12 and 17 in Junior Rotax Max 125cc karts; the Junior Intercontinental A for 13 to 15-year-old Intercontinental C License holders in 100cc karts who, after competing in this category, can step up to the Formula 100 Open class; and the Formula Cadet 85 for 9 to 13-year-olds and considered the entry-level class. In 2005, the champions of both the Senior and Junior Rotax Max classes will join the Rotax Max Challenge, giving Asian karters the opportunity to join the World Cup Rotax Challenge and race with the best karters in the world. Karting is recognized worldwide as the entry point for young racers and leading international motorsport teams watch the category closely in their constant search for future champions. Many of the most famous names in motorsport started their careers in go-karts, including the late Ayrton Senna, and current F1 stars Jenson Button and David Coulthard. Closer to home, up-and-coming local talent Rodolfo Avila began racing karts in Macau at the tender age of six, and recently tested in the UK with one of the world’s top Formula 3 outfits, Carlin Motorsport. And to host this prestigious event, Macau already has an impressive facility in the Kartodromo, Coloane. The international B grade karting facility is fully equipped with a 1.25km circuit, a grandstand which can seat up to 2,500 spectators, control tower, briefing room, restaurant, VIP rooms – and even has a children’s go-kart circuit. The organizer will also arrange shuttle bus service between Macau (bus stop in front of Bank of China Building) and Kartodromo for the citizens and visitors on November 13 and 14, operating every 15 minutes from 9am to 5:30pm. First bus will depart from Macau and last bus will depart from Kartodromo.
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Macao and Canada have jointly expressed the will to establish air links in the near future and to open up services for air transportation of passenger and cargo. The Secretary for Transport and Public Work, Mr Ao Man-long discussed the issue with the Vice-minister of Transport of Canada, Mr. Louis Ranger when they met in Canada. Both parties agreed to assign specialists to follow up on details. Meanwhile, at the invitation of the Minister of Transport of Canada, Mr Ao attended the Second Joint Ministerial Conference of the Paris and Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in Vancouver. Speaking at the conference, Mr Ao said that the Macao SAR Government has high regard for the International treaty and stressed the importance of fulfilling its responsibilities. He said Macao would ensure marine security, prevent and combat sea pollution, and facilitate harbour activities by stipulating measures and strengthening the co-operation and personnel training with neighbouring regions to actively support the Paris and Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control and to execute the responsibility of protecting marine security and resources.
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