News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the number of visitor and non-resident arrivals totalled 2,565,038 in March 2010. Total visitor arrivals increased by 6.7% year-on-year to 2,011,099. Same-day visitors (1,055,902) accounted for 52.5% of the total visitor arrivals, with 553,692 coming from Mainland China. Analyzed by place of residence, visitors from Mainland China grew by 8.2% year-on-year to 1,057,395 (52.6% of total visitor arrivals), with 421,704 travelling to Macao under the Individual Visit Scheme, down by 5.8% from March 2009 (447,465). Visitors from Hong Kong (569,466), Japan (41,815) and Malaysia (37,238) rose by 4.4%, 17.6% and 2.1% respectively; besides, visitors from the Republic of Korea (25,243), India (10,197) and Vietnam (8,232) also registered notable increases. However, those from Taiwan, China (114,409) decreased by 4.0%. Visitor arrivals totalled 6,115,221 in the first quarter of 2010, up by 12.1% year-on-year. Visitors from Mainland China (3,334,375); Taiwan, China (330,215); and Japan (105,781) increased by 20.9%, 5.2% and 3.0% respectively, while those from Hong Kong (1,726,819) decreased slightly by 0.3%. In the first quarter of 2010, same-day visitors accounted for 52.0% of the total visitor arrivals, at 3,180,860. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by sea totalled 2,469,347 in the first quarter of 2010, up by 8.4% year-on-year. Visitors arriving at the Outer Harbour increased by 4.8% to 1,583,672, with the majority coming from Hong Kong (51.4%) and Mainland China (24.9%); meanwhile, those arriving at the Provisional Ferry Terminal in Taipa went up by 14.9% to 788,410. Visitor arrivals by land increased by 14.7% year-on-year to 3,213,932 in the first quarter of 2010; those arriving through the Border Gate totalled 2,941,489 and the majority were visitors from Mainland China (80.0%) and Hong Kong (13.0%). Visitor arrivals by air rose by 15.1% year-on-year to 431,942 in the first quarter of 2010. Visitors arriving at the Macao International Airport increased by 15.7% to 426,580, with the majority coming from Taiwan, China (35.9%); Mainland China (30.2%); and Malaysia (7.8%).
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the Composite CPI (103.01) for March 2010 increased by 1.88% year-on-year, attributable to the price increase of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages. Price indices of Transport; Clothing & Footwear; Miscellaneous Goods & Services and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose by 8.40%, 5.51%, 5.45% and 4.11% respectively, on account of dear prices of gasoline and new arrival of Spring clothing, rising gold prices and higher charges for meals bought away from home. On the contrary, apart from the 9.81% decrease of the price index of Education, reduced charges for mobile phone services and lower rentals for housing drove the price indices of Communication; and Housing & Fuels down by 3.37% and 1.0% respectively. The CPI-A (102.8) and CPI-B (103.05) for March 2010 increased by 1.26% and 2.0% year-on-year respectively. The Composite CPI for March 2010 decreased by 0.25% month-to-month, of which the price indices of Recreation & Culture; and Miscellaneous Goods & Services fell by 5.54% and 1.50% respectively, attributable to lower charges for outbound package tours and hairdressing services after the Lunar New Year. However, price index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose by 0.64% on account of dearer charges for meals bought away from home. The average Composite CPI for the first quarter of 2010 (102.81)) increased by 1.52% year-on-year. For the 12 months ended March 2010, the average Composite CPI rose by 0.74% over the preceding period. The 2008/2009-based Composite CPI reflects the impact of price changes on the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 50% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP6,000 to MOP18,999. The CPI-B relates to about 30% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP19,000 to MOP34,999.
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The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, today called for further co-operation on the exhibition and convention industries between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Delivering a speech at a forum on the future of the Pearl River Delta, Mr Tam said Macao had to add more high-end and attractive elements to its industrial portfolio, mostly made up of gaming, in its drive to become a global leisure and tourism hub, a positioning of Macao in accordance with the Outline of the Plan for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta (2008-2020). Mr Tam said it would be important for Macao to develop its exhibition and convention businesses in order to diversify. He said Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao had their unique advantages in developing exhibition and convention industries, and the three should fully maximise the benefits provided by the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). He suggested that the three make agreements to enhance co-operation and diversification in exhibition and convention industries, and Macao would focus on exhibitions on entertainment, consumption, arts, regional acclaimed products and small and medium conventions. He also said the three might encourage and support their business sectors to co-operate and nurture new exhibitions, and to streamline customs procedures for personnel and exhibits for exhibitions. He also suggested that the three neighbouring governments should integrate their resources and explore the markets of the Portuguese-speaking countries.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, with principal officials and member of the Executive Council, observed a three-minute silence at Government Headquarters today to mourn for the victims of the Qinghai earthquake, which claimed more than 2,000 lives. Speaking to the press afterwards, Mr Chui extended his condolences to the victims’ families and said the Government would fully support the rescue and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas, in co-ordination with the Red Cross Society of China and the Macau Red Cross. On Monday the Government announced the donation of 100 million RMB for quake relief. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, the Secretary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuoc Va, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, the Director-General of Macao Customs Service, Mr Choi Lai Hang, and Commissioner of Commission Against Corruption, Mr Fong Man Chong.
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The Macao SAR Government decided to donate 100 million RMB for quake relief in Yushu of Qinghai Province today, according to a press release by the Government. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, extended his condolence to the compatriots in Qinghai and wished for smooth rescue operations and reconstructions. Macao residents are deeply concerned about the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that hit Yushu last Wednesday, which claimed lives of more than 1900 people.
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The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP156.2 billion (USD19.53 billion) at the end of March 2010. The reserves rose by 4.3% from MOP149.8 billion (USD18.73 billion) for the previous month. When compared with a year earlier, the reserves increased by MOP21.8 billion or 16.3%. Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves at end-March 2010 represented 29 times the currency in circulation or 254.0% of Pataca M2 at end-February 2010. 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, rose by 0.25 points month-to-month but fell by 2.73 points year-on-year to 90.53 in March 2010.
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Once or twice a month, on a Saturday afternoon, the Historical Archives of Macao opens its doors to curious members of the public who come to attend one of its Conservation Workshops. Up to twelve participants meet in the Gallery of the old Historical Archives building to learn some of the fascinating skills used in conserving paper records. Designs so far have ranged from paperback and hard cover notebooks to silk-bound volumes and accordion fold-out books. The Conservation Workshops were launched in June 2009 to mark the newly established International Archives Day. The aim is to give local citizens an insight into this most traditional craft while demonstrating the care Historical Archives professionals extend to the historic documents they work with every day. The conservators working in the Historical Archives have years of experience and training in handling these precious records, and they are keen to share some of the basic notions involved in this craft with members of the public. While the presentation is mostly in Chinese, instructional support is also provided in English. Additionally, support is on hand for the hearing-disabled. Using a combination of visual presentation, written notes in Chinese and English, and practical demonstrations by the professional conservators, participants of all ages, some as young as ten years old, can spend a relaxing afternoon in the airy gallery of this historic building on Tap Seac Square and take away a completed handicraft project when they leave.
Registration for each workshop opens a few days before the scheduled date, and places usually get snapped up very quickly. The registration fee is MOP$20 and participants do not need to bring any materials or equipment. All workshops start at 2pm and end at 5pm. The Historical Archives of Macao will hold another of its popular binding workshops on Saturday 24th of April. Registration will open on April 19th for the workshop taking place on April 24th. To register, please visit the Historical Archives of Macao (open Mon-Fri, 09:30-18.30, Sat, 13.00-18.00) and pay the workshop fee of MOP$20. Places are limited and will be distributed according to order of registration. For more information about individual workshops, please visit www.archives.gov.mo. For further details, please contact Ms. Esther Chu at 85986537. To better inform the public of this activity, the schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows:
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, on a monthly basis, money supply M2 witnessed a decline after a continuous growth for five straight months. As deposits with banks dropped slightly and total loans saw an increase, the loan-to-deposit ratio rose from a month earlier. Money supply
Currency in circulation increased 7.1% whereas demand deposits decreased 8.6%. M1 thus dropped significantly by 6.2% compared with the previous month. Meanwhile, quasi-monetary liabilities fell 1.7%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, decreased 2.4% to MOP210.2 billion. On an annual basis, M1 and M2 rose 20.2% and 9.2% respectively. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 29.3%, up 0.5 percentage points over a month ago or 0.3 percentage points from a year earlier. Concurrently, the share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 52.9%, down 1.3 percentage points month-to-month but up 0.5 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits
Resident deposits dropped 2.7% from the previous month to MOP204.8 billion. Of which, MOP deposits and HKD deposits declined at respective rates of 1.3% and 4.7% while other foreign currency deposits rose 1.7%. Concurrently, non-resident deposits increased by 5.5% to MOP72.9 billion and public sector deposits with the banking sector also rose 1.5% to MOP15.5 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector dropped 0.5% from the previous month to MOP293.2 billion. The shares of MOP and HKD in total deposits were 23.2% and 45.4% respectively.
Loans
Domestic loans to the private sector expanded 1.9% in February to MOP104.6 billion. Among which, MOP29.3 billion was MOP-denominated and MOP68.8 billion was denominated in HKD, representing 28.0% and 65.8% of the total respectively. Meanwhile, external loans grew 6.2% to MOP101.2 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP and HKD accounted for 0.9% (MOP0.9 billion) and 41.6% (MOP42.1 billion) of the total respectively. Loan-to-deposit ratios
Due to the decline in resident deposits and increase in domestic loans to the private sector, the loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector grew 2.0 percentage points in a month to 47.5% at end-February 2010. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors reached 70.2%, up 3.1 percentage points from the previous month.
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The University of Macau (UM) has identified Macaology as a key discipline in social science and has established relevant plans with the aim of developing Macaology into a “cultural business card” of Macao and accomplishing some high-quality achievements in the field within three to five years. The first International Conference on Macaology co-organized by the University of Macau (UM), Macao Foundation, Institute of European Studies of Macau, Macau Society of Social Sciences, and Union of Macao Scholars, was held at UM from 15 April to 16 April. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Cheong U, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao SAR Lu Shumin, Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR Liu Xiaohang, President of the Macao Foundation Victor Ng, UM Rector Wei Zhao, Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University Jin Li, Vice President of Sun Yat-Sen University Chen Chunsheng, member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation Wu Zhiliang, UM Vice-rector Rui Martins, President of the Institute of European Studies of Macau José Luís de Sales Marques, and Acting Director of the Centre for Macau Studies of UM Hao Yufan, attended the opening ceremony. At the opening ceremony, UM representatives presented certificates of appointment to Dean of the School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Sun Yat-Sen University Takeshi Hamashita, member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation Wu Zhiliang, and Dean of the Institute of World History at Peking University Qian Chengdan, who will serve as UM’s part-time professors specializing in the study of Macaology. Macaology is an international and synthetic discipline based on the abundant historical archives and cultural heritage of Macao. In search of Macao’s uniqueness, Macaology takes the culture and history of Macao as the object of study. In the 1980s, some Macao scholars floated the idea of creating a discipline called Macaology and held discussions regarding the concepts, contents, methods of study, and significance of Macaology. It has become the consensus among scholars that establishing “Macaology” and involving scholars from around the world to study Macao-related issues in a systematic and scientific manner so as to increase the influence of “Macao culture” are very important. The main task of Macaology is to explore the profoundness and uniqueness of “Macao culture” and to examine the forms and characteristics of different cultures as well as the effect resulted from the interaction between these cultures, from a global perspective. Since the mid-Ming Dynasty, Macao has played an important role in the Great Era of Navigation during which period westerners entered China and China served as a link with the world. Since then Macao has become an important port, a platform for the interaction between eastern and western cultures, and an incubator for new cultures. Through the interaction between eastern and western cultures, “Macao culture”, a new culture characterized by diversity, tolerance and harmony, was born. Macaology, which takes “Macao culture” as the object of study, has high theoretical and practical value. The emergence and development of “Macao culture” has offered valuable insights into how we humans should better get along with one another and know one another. The harmonious co-existence of and interaction between different nationalities, religions and cultures in Macao provides a solution to the all-pervasive conflicts plaguing the modern world: Instead of seeking victory through conquest and destruction through conflicts, we should seek harmony through diversity and common ground through difference. It can serve as a treasure trove of wisdom for solving the conflicts between different nationalities, religions, cultures, and nations, thus realizing harmonious co-existence of the human society. It can also help ensure the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy in China. Given the profoundness of “Macao culture”, Macaology should not be considered a “regional” area of study. The conference has been warmly received in the international academic circle. More than 80 scholars from the Chinese Mainland, Portugal, America, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao gathered at UM to share their views on a range of issues such as the academic framework, establishment and future development of Macaology. Latest findings in the field were also presented at the conference. Conference discussions revolved around 6 topics, namely Macao and Macaology; The Academic Characteristics and System of Macaology; Macao in a Global Perspective; The Consolidation of Historical Archives; History and Culture; and Religion and Society. This is the largest international conference in recent years to discuss the study of “Macao culture”. It will surely play an important role in promoting the future development of Macaology as well as the academic prosperity of Macao.
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The Institute For Tourism Studies Career Day 2010 was held on 15 April at Taipa Campus. The exhibition aimed to provide graduating students more information on the employment trends in the tourism and service industries, thus, increasing their chance of success in job hunting. Organisations from different sectors were invited to the exhibition and twelve career talks were delivered. Seventeen organisations with more than 2,000 job vacancies from the tourism and service industries joined the exhibition. These included DFS Cotai Limitada, Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Grand Hyatt Macau, Holiday Inn Macau, L’Arc New World Hotel Macau, Lisboa Hotels Complex, macauHR, Mandarin Oriental Macau, Melco PBL Entertainment, MGM Grand Macau, Micro China Marketing & Consultant Co. Ltd., Pizza Hut, Starbucks Coffee, The Venetian-Macao-Resort-Hotel, The Westin Resort Macau and Wynn Macau. Representatives from the organisations provided students and alumni information about job openings in their companies and distributed application forms to those who were interested, on site interviews were also arranged. The graduates-to-be and alumni were enthusiastic about the exhibition, especially in attending the career talks. Questions regarding employment trends and employers’ expectation were raised and discussed in the talks. The employment rate of IFT graduates is always satisfactory. In April 2009, a graduates’ employment survey, targeting the Bachelor and Diploma and Certificate programme graduates of 2007/08, were launched. According to the results of the survey, 95.7% got employment and 84% got placements in the tourism and service sector. The Career Day 2010 aimed to be the platform of communication between students and employers. It allowed the graduating students to have a better view of the job market and maximised the chance of success in their career path.
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