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Hard-Fought Racing in Opening Round of Macau Touring Car Championship
Round one of the 2005 Macau Touring Car Championship (MTCC), organized by the China – Macau Autosports Club, was held today (June 18). The race, which attracted many spectators, was a qualifier for the 52nd Macau Grand Prix. Results of Macau Touring Car Championship and Super Touring Car races are as follows: Hong Kong / Macau Touring Car Championship – Super Production Touring Car Race 1ST ：No. 89 - Lei Chong Seng ( Honda Civic EP3 )
2ND：No. 32 - Liu Lic Ka ( Honda Integra DC5 )
3RD：No. 99 - Ng Kin Veng ( Honda Integra DC2 ) Macau Touring Car Championship N2000 Race 1ST ：No. 12 - Ho Wai Kun ( Honda Integra DC5 )
2ND：No. 71 - Lei Weng Lon ( Honda Civic EP3 )
3RD：No. 36 - Chan Man Fong ( Honda Integra DC5 ) Round one of the 2005 Macau Touring Car Championship will continue tomorrow (June 19). All fans are welcome.
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Macau Touring Car Championship Gets Under Way in Zhuhai
The opening round of the 2005 Macau Touring Car Championship, organized by the China – Macau Autosports Club, will be held at Zhuhai International Circuit, with timed practise scheduled for today (June 17), and the races to be run over the weekend (June 18 and 19). The races are set to be thrilling as competitors will go all out to win and thereby qualify for the 52nd Macau Grand Prix. The second and third rounds of the three-round 2005 Macau Touring Car Championship
will be held at the end of July and August. As before, these events will be qualifiers for the
52nd Macau Grand Prix. All motorsports fans are welcome to watch the exciting action. The race programme is as follows: June 18（Sat） 14 00－14 30 Hong Kong／Macau Touring Car Championship – Super Production Touring Car Race (12 Laps)
14 45－15 15 Asian Formula 3 (12 Laps) 15 30－16 00 Hong Kong Touring Car Championship – 1,600cc & N2000 (10 Laps) 16 15－16 45 Macau Touring Car Championship N2000 Race (10 Laps)
17 00－17 30 Lotus Challenge (10 Laps) June 19（Sun） 10 30－10 45 Hong Kong／Macau Touring Car Championship – Super Production Touring Car Race (Warm-up)
11 00－11 15 Asian Formula 3 Race (Warm-up) 11 30－12 00 Lotus Challenge (Timed Practice) 13 00－13 30 Hong Kong Touring Car Championship 1600cc & N2000 (10 Laps)
14 00－14 30 Asian Formula 3 Race (12 Laps) 14 45－15 15 Macau Touring Car Championship N2000 (10 Laps)
15 30－16 00 Hong Kong／Macau Touring Car Championship – Super Production Touring Car Race (12 Laps)
16 10－16 40 Lotus Challenge (10 Laps)
16 55－17 25 Hong Kong & Macau Friendship Cup N2000 (10 Laps)
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Chief Executive meets Vice-Governor of Sao Paulo State
Macao could set up a task force to enhance mutual understanding with Sao Paulo, the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said on 20 June (Brazil time). Mr Ho said this during a meeting with the Vice-Governor of the State of Sao Paulo, Mr Claudio Lembo, while leading a delegation to Brazil, arriving in Sao Paulo on 20 June (Brazil time). Mr Ho had a meeting with Mr Lembo in the afternoon which lasted more than 40 minutes, during which he said relationship between Macao and Sao Paulo as sister cities could prompt bilateral commercial ties between Brazil and Macao. Mr Ho suggested that, with the assistance of the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, Macao could send a task force to Sao Paulo to bring the latest news of Macao to the government and people in the state. He said that Macao could act as the platform for Brazilian businessmen to enter the vast Mainland China market. The delegation introduced to Mr Lembo how Macao implemented the principle of “One Country, Two Systems” since the establishment of the Special Administrative Region. Mr Lembo expressed keen interested in Macao’s free port status, and the measures brought about by the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Mr Ho and the delegation are scheduled to leave for Brasilia on 21 June (Brazil time).
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Chief Executive begins visit in Brazil
The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, on 20 June (Brazil time) begins his six-day visit to Brazil meeting with Brazilian entrepreneurs in Sao Paulo, the Brazilian industrial capital. Mr Ho and the Macao delegation attended a luncheon meeting with Brazilian entrepreneurs after arriving at Sao Paulo early in the morning. He said in his speech that being an important industrial city that generated one-thirds of Brazil’s GDP, Sao Paulo is very important in the economic co-operation between Brazil and China. He said he hoped this visit could promote economic and cultural co-operation between Macao and Sao Paulo, and highlighted Macao’s role of being mediator between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Ho also invited the Brazilian entrepreneurs to visit and explore business opportunities in Macao. During the luncheon, the president of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Lee Peng Hong, gave an account of the recent economic developments in Macao, emphasising on the new opportunities provided by the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement between the Mainland and Macao (CEPA). He also invited Brazilian entrepreneurs to participate in the Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF) in October, in which a showroom for products of Portuguese-speaking countries will be set up. In the afternoon Mr Ho and the Macao delegation would meet with the Vice-Governor of the State of Sao Paulo, Mr Claudio Lembo, after a meeting with the members of the Casas de Macau in Sao Paulo and in Rio de Janeiro.
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Results of the Consumer Price Index May / 2005
Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that Composite CPI for May 2005 was 97.19, up 0.54% over the previous month. Due to the increase in the rent of housing, rising prices in interior decoration, summer clothing and footwear, and fresh vegetables, the indices of Rent and housing expenses, Clothing and footwear, and Foodstuff and beverages rose 0.97%, 0.89% and 0.84% respectively. On the other hand, lower prices in gasoline, air tickets and outbound package tours led to decline in the indices of Transport and communications (-0.46%) and Other goods and services (-0.17%). Composite CPI in May 2005 recorded a significant year-on-year increase of 3.68%. For the 12 months ended May 2005, the average Composite CPI rose 2.53% over the previous period. Average Composite CPI for January to May 2005 went up 3.31% over the same period of 2004. In comparison with April 2005, CPI(A) and CPI(B) increased 0.66% and 0.51% respectively. CPI(A) relates to 54% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP3,000 - MOP9,999. CPI(B) relates to 26% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP10,000 - MOP19,999.
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Results of the Visitor Arrivals / May 2005
Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that number of visitor arrivals totalled 1,539,534 in May 2005, which represented a year-on-year increase of 16.0%. Compared with May last year, visitors from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, China increased 7.3%, 18.8% and 47.8% respectively. Meanwhile, same-day visitors accounted for 52.8% of the total arrivals, at 813,420. The majority of visitors came from Mainland China (56.6% of the total), Hong Kong (28.7%) and Taiwan, China (8.3%). Among the visitors from Mainland China, 446,792 (51.2%) travelled to Macao under the Individual Visit Scheme. In the first five months of 2005, visitor arrivals totalled 7,490,248, up 16.4% over the same period of last year. Visitors from Mainland China increased 12.2% to 4,187,576, which accounted for 55.9% of the total; Hong Kong and Taiwan, China shared 29.9% and 8.2% of the total respectively. Furthermore, same-day visitors made up 52.7% of the total, at 3,945,380. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by sea went up 7.7% year-on-year to 2,661,756 in the first five months of 2005, with 2,590,678 arriving at the Outer Harbour (+7.2%); the majority of these visitors were from Hong Kong (59.3%) and Mainland China (29.7%). Visitor arrivals at the Inner Harbour rose 28.2% to 71,078, of which 69.3% were from Mainland China. Meanwhile, arrivals by land increased 20.3% year-on-year to 4,402,678, with 4,066,845 arriving through the Border Gate. The majority of these visitors came from Mainland China (77.0%) and Hong Kong (16.3%). Visitors arriving through the Checkpoint of CoTai were 335,833. In addition, arrivals by air were 425,814, up 41.3% compared with the same period of last year, with 421,023 arriving at the Macao International Airport (+42.9%). Visitors from Taiwan, China (69.3%) and Mainland China (15.7%) were the major users of this access.
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Chief Executive leaves for Brazil
The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, left for Brazil today on an official visit, with the aim of strengthening economic ties of Macao acting as the trading platform between China and Portuguese-speaking nations. Speaking to the media before his departure, Mr Ho said that during the six-day visit, he would introduce Macao to Brazilian entrepreneurs as well as to further enhance communication with the Brazilian Government. The delegation will also meet with Macanese who have settled in Brazil. “We hope to deepen the relationship between Brazil and Macao by using this specific human resource,” said Mr Ho. Brazil, in terms of economic development, is one of the most important Portuguese-speaking countries Macao would co-operate with. When asked about the question of land resources and real estate, Mr Ho said due to Macao’s rapid economic development recently, over-development might occur. Since Macao has limited land resources, the public would be greatly concerned with land resource and real estates policies. These policies might spur disputes in the future, and the Government ought to study them with caution and seek solutions said Mr Ho. “The Government has a clear position on land resources and real estate policies and will continue to stabilise the original policies which is important to the economic and city development. The Government has the authority to control over-development situations, such as a high price of land.” Howeve, the Government might act differently on the policies according to Macao’s future mode of development and the needs of the society, he said. Mr Ho also said under the principles of fair, just and the match with the entire development of Macao, the Government would take care of the needs of different levels, especially those who have difficulties in buying homes.
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Chief Executive to visit Brazil on 19th June
The Chief Executive, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, will lead a delegation to Brazil next Sunday for a six-day visit, during which he will pay a visit to the Brazilian President, Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Mr Ho and the delegation are scheduled to visit four cities in Brazil, namely Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Manaus and Rio de Janeiro, and pay visits to Presidents of Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies, various ministers, state governors and the 'Casa de Macau', a worldwide Macanese organisation. Moreover, they are scheduled to visit a free trade zone in Manaus and meet with Brazilian commercial representatives. The purpose of the visit is to enhance bilateral co-operation between Brazil and Macao, especially in areas such as business and tourism. Mr Ho had visited two Portuguese-speaking countries -- Portugal and Mozambique. Brazil would be his third. Members of the delegation include President of the Legislative Assembly, Ms Susana Chou, Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, Deputy Director of Government Information Bureau, Ms Ho Wai Heng, and more than 10 representatives of commercial and industrial sectors.
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Cape Verde Grants Visa-free Access to the Holders of Macao SAR Passport and Travel Permit
The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was informed by the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Cape Verde in Macao that, the holders of the Macao SAR Passport or Travel Permit are able to enter the Republic of Cape Verde without a visa for a stay not exceeding 90 days. The above-mentioned arrangement has been effective since 15 June 2005. On the basis of reciprocity, nationals of the Republic of Cape Verde are also able to enter the Macao SAR without a visa for a stay not exceeding 90 days, effective from today. There are now 65 countries and territories granting the visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to the holders of the Macao SAR Passport; 6 countries granting visa-free access to the holders of Macao SAR Travel Permit.
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Edmund Ho congratulate Donald Tsang’s election to Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR
The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today extended his congratulations to Mr Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, on his election to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In a letter to Mr Tsang, Mr Ho conveyed his congratulation and wished him well on behalf of the MSAR Government. Mr Ho said in the letter that the co-operation between Hong Kong and Macao had been increasing at a steady pace with the establishment of the Special Administrative Regions and said he anticipated co-operation between the two SARs to develop further with joint efforts.
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