BRIEFS | Macau-mainland trade down by over 10 pct

Trade between Macau and mainland China decreased by 11.2 percent year on year to USD1.37 billion during the first five months of the year, the Ministry of Commerce said yesterday. The mainland’s exports to Macau dropped 4.7 percent year on year to USD1.28 billion during the January–May period. Macau’s exports to the mainland totaled USD90 million, a decrease of 54.8 percent year on year, according to the ministry’s figures. In May, the mainland’s trade with Macau decreased by 1.6 percent from the previous month to reach USD270 million, the ministry said. According to Xinhua news agency, mainland authorities approved 127 investment projects from Macau businesspeople during the period, a year-on-year increase of 11.4 percent. Meanwhile, the MSAR investment in the mainland increased by 31.7 percent year on year to hit USD240 million.

Proprietors accused civil servants of lying, Carion denies

The Jardins Sun Yick proprietors committee has released CCTV footage refuting accusations from the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSPOT) that the committee’s staff assaulted officials from the bureau while on official duty. Meanwhile, DSSPOT director Jaime Roberto Carion claimed that it is best to resolve the issue in court. Members of the Sun Yick proprietors committee claimed that DSSPOT officials had not clearly shown their identification documents or any other documents that would authorize their investigation. They said that only one of the DSSPOT officials showed their identification document, and, even then, for a very short period of time.