Ho Iat Seng’s appointment to be confirmed next week

The Chief Executive-elect, Ho Iat Seng, is scheduled to visit Beijing from September 10 to 12 to receive the Order of the State Council, confirming his official appointment as the fifth-term Chief Executive of the SAR. Ho, the sole candidate in the recent CE election, gathered 392 votes from the 400-member Election Committee on August 25. Administrative reform is one of Ho’s top priorities, with Ho stressing that the SAR government has scope to improve its administrative efficiency to foster economic development. Prior to the election on August 25, Ho visited different associations and institutions for two weeks as part of his outreach program.

Song for 20th anniversary of handover launched

The Macau Music Industry Association has launched a theme song for the 20th anniversary of the Macau handover. The song is about “connecting as one family.” The song, which is sung in Mandarin, also has a music video available online. In the video, well-known people from Macau, such as lawyer Neto Valente, take part in the singing. The song tells a story of the lotus flower and depicts it undergoing difficult experiences. “Connecting as one family; born on the same soil; beliefs are the same; build beauty and prosperity,” are part of the song’s lyrics.

Nine-fold increase recorded in mobile payments

The number of transactions made with mobile devices increased nine-fold in the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2018, according to the Central District Advisory Committee. The statistics were revealed by the Monetary Authority of Macao and the Macao Economic Services. Pushed by this growth, a total of 3.13 million transactions were made through mobile devices as of June. The number of mobile payment transactions in the second quarter of this year alone exceeded the total of 2018. Currently, there are more than 30,000 computer terminals in Macau that can handle mobile payments. The committee proposed that the government establish a specific mobile payment system for tourists and provide English settings to help tourists and foreigners who live in Macau.