Category Archives: Macau

Transparency of the Regulatory System

The GOM has transparent policies and laws that establish clear rules and do not unnecessarily impede investment. The basic elements of a competition policy are set out in Macaus Commercial Code.

The GOM will normally conduct a three-month public consultation when amending or making legislation, including investment laws, and will prepare a draft bill based on the results of the public consultation. The lawmakers will discuss the draft bill before putting it to a final vote. All of the processes are transparent and consistent with international norms.

Public comments received by the GOM are not made available online to the public. The draft bills are made available at the Legislative Assemblys website (http://www.al.gov.mo/zh/), while this website http://www.io.gov.mo/ links to the GOMs Printing Bureau, which publishes laws, rules, and procedures.

Macaus anti-corruption agency the Commission Against Corruption (known by its Portuguese acronym CCAC) carries out ombudsman functions to safeguard rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of individuals and to ensure the impartiality and efficiency of public administration.

Macaus law on the budgetary framework (Decree 15/2017) aims to reinforce monitoring of public finances and to enhance transparency in the preparation and execution of the fiscal budget.

Macau does not owe debt to any countries. The public can retrieve up-to-date data on public finance from the Financial Services Bureau website https://www.dsf.gov.mo/financialReport/?lang=en at all times.

International Regulatory Considerations

Macau is a member of WTO and adopts international norms. The GOM notified all draft technical regulations to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade.

Macau, as a signatory to the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), has achieved a 100 percent rate of implementation commitments.

Legal System and Judicial Independence

Under one country, two systems, Macau maintains Continental European law as the foundation of its legal system, which is based on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The current judicial process is procedurally competent, fair, and reliable. Macau has a written commercial law and contract law. The Commercial Code is a comprehensive source of commercial law, while the Civil Code serves as a fundamental source of contractual law. Courts in Macau include the Court of Final Appeal, Intermediate Courts, and Primary Courts. There is also an Administrative Court, which has jurisdiction over administrative and tax cases. These provide an effective means for enforcing property and contractual rights. At present, the Court of Final Appeal has three judges; the Intermediate Courts have nine judges; and the Primary Courts have 33 judges. The Public Prosecutions Office has 38 prosecutors.

Macau passed a National Security Law in 2009 that prohibits and punishes crimes against national security, including treason, secession, sedition, subversion, theft of state secrets, and collusion with foreign political organizations. Preparatory acts leading to any of these crimes may also constitute a criminal offence.

Macaus courts still have jurisdiction over all local cases except those related to defense and foreign affairs. The 2009 National Security Law did not affect this jurisdiction.

Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment

Macaus legal system is based on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Foreign and domestic companies register under the same rules and are subject to the same set of commercial and bankruptcy laws (Decree 40/99/M).

Competition and Antitrust Laws

Macau has no agency that reviews transactions for competition-related concerns, nor does it have a competition law. The Commercial Code (Law No. 16/2009) contains basic elements of a competition policy for commercial practices that can distort the proper functioning of markets. In response to public outcries of price-fixing schemes in the Macau oil and food retail industries, in March 2019, the GOM commissioned Macau University of Science and Technology to conduct research on how to optimize market institutions to help foster healthy private sector competition. The research results were released to the public in May 2020. Based on this research, the GOM claimed that a legislative solution such as an anti-monopoly or anti-trust law would not necessarily bring about lower prices. Rather, the GOM appointed the Macau Consumer Council to monitor the local market prices and determine when the need for new legislation on market competition is warranted.

Expropriation and Compensation

The U.S. Consulate General is not aware of any direct or indirect actions to expropriate. Legal expropriations of private property may occur if it is in the public interest. In such cases, the GOM will exchange the private property with an equivalent public property based on the fair market value and conditions of the former. The exchange of property is in accordance with established principles of international law. There is no remunerative compensation.

Dispute Settlement

ICSID Convention and New York Convention

Both the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention) and the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention) apply to Macau. The Law on International Commercial Arbitration (Decree 55/98/M) provides for enforcement of awards under the 1958 New York Convention.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement

The U.S. Consulate General is aware of one previous investment dispute involving U.S. or other foreign investors or contractors and the GOM. In March 2010, a low-cost airline carrier was reportedly forced to cancel flight services because of a credit dispute with its fuel provider, triggering events which led to the airlines de-licensing. Macau courts declared the airline bankrupt in September 2010. The airlines major shareholder, a U.S. private investment company, filed a case in the Macau courts seeking a judgment as to whether a GOM administrative act led to the airlines demise. The Court of Second Instance held hearings in May and June 2012. In November 2013, the Court of Second Instance rejected the appeal. Private investment disputes are normally handled in the courts or via private negotiation. Alternatively, disputes may be referred to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center or the World Trade Center Macau Arbitration Center. The Arrangement for Mutual Service of Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Cases between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau Special Administrative Region came into effect in August 2020, significantly accelerating the service of such judicial documents between two regions.

International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts

Macau has an arbitration law (Decree 55/98/M), which adopts the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) model law for international commercial arbitration. The GOM accepts international arbitration of investment disputes between itself and investors. Local courts recognize and enforce foreign arbitral awards. The GOM in May 2020 enacted the New Arbitration Law, which unifies the laws governing domestic and international arbitration in Macau. This arbitration reform incorporated best international practices with effective dispute resolution techniques for investment disputes, including the introduction of emergency arbitrator mechanism, limitation on rights of appeal, procedure for courts assistance in taking of evidence, recognition and enforcement of interim measures, and publication of arbitral awards.

Macau established the World Trade Center Macau Arbitration Center in June 1998. The objective of the Center is to promote the resolution of disputes through arbitration and conciliation, providing the disputing parties with alternative resolutions other than judicial litigation.

Foreign judgments in civil and commercial matters may be enforced in Macau. The enforcement of foreign judgments is stipulated in Articles 1199 and 1200 of the Civil Procedure Code. A foreign court decision will be recognized and enforced in Macau if it qualifies as a final decision supported by authentic documentation and that its enforcement will not breach Macaus public policy.

Bankruptcy Regulations

Commercial and bankruptcy laws are written under the Macau Commercial Code, the Civil Procedure Code, and the Penal Code. Bankruptcy proceedings can be invoked by an application from the bankrupt business, by petition of the creditor, or by the Public Prosecutor. There are four methods used to prevent the occurrence of bankruptcy: the creditors meeting, the audit of the companys assets, the amicable settlement, and the creditor agreement. According to Articles 615-618 of the Civil Code and Article 351-353 of the Civil Procedure Code, a creditor who has a justified fear of losing the guarantee of his credits may request seizure of the assets of the debtor. Bankruptcy offenses are subject to criminal liability.

There is no credit bureau or other credit monitoring authority serving Macaus market.

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Macau - United States Department of State

1. Macau Casinos Head for Worst Year on Record Due to Covid Squeeze  Bloomberg
2. Macau casinos face their worst year ever as Covid restrictions discourage gamblers  WION
3. Macau gaming revenue tumbles 56% in November due to COVID flareups  Seeking Alpha
4. Macau Casinos Win Just $376M in November, as Gaming Remains Stifled  Casino.Org News
5. Macau gaming revenue falls to $374 million in November, three times lower than Nevada levels  World Casino Directory
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

Go here to read the rest:

Macau Casinos Head for Worst Year on Record Due to Covid Squeeze - Bloomberg

1. Macau advances digital currency acceptance, but will casinos accept?  CoinGeek
2. First Mover Asia: Macaus Digital Currency Embrace Could Be a Nightmare for Its Casino Industry; Bitcoin Points Upward  Yahoo Finance
3. Digital Currency To Soon Become Legal Tender In Macau - Here's How  Bitcoinist
4. Macau is betting on digital currency, CBDC as legal tender  Forkast News
5. Macau looks to apply traditional currency regulations to digital currencies  Kitco NEWS
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Macau advances digital currency acceptance, but will casinos accept? - CoinGeek

The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) will be held next week amid speculation on whether Beijing might start to wind down its COVID-zero policy afterwards, however a recruitment notice issued in Shanghai this week seems to pour cold water on that idea.

On 10 October, a notice was posted in Shanghais Pudong New District, indicating the city would conduct an open recruitment for a community epidemic prevention commissioner on a two-year contract. It also promised to hire 575 specialist COVID prevention and control officers on two-year contracts.

This job announcement in Shanghai has been widely discussed on the mainland, with many economic commentators suggesting the stringent epidemic prevention policy in China will be maintained after the CPC and seemingly for at least another two years.

Regarding the possibility that the mainlands policy will not be changed in the near future, Macaus Chief Executive, Ho Iat-seng, has repeatedly stressed in the past that Macaus own policy must be consistent with that of mainland China.

If the Mainland policy changes, Macau will definitely change it immediately, he said.

In the face of the economic impact of Chinas COVID-zero policy, Eilo Wing-Yat Yu, associate professor of the Department of Government and Public Administration of the University of Macau, told IAG that the pandemic prevention policy, as I understand it now, has gone beyond public health and has reached the political level.

At present, the mainland is using the pandemic prevention policy to achieve the effect of rectifying the social and political environment, without focusing too much on the economic impact.

However, part of the fallout of this policy has been significant economic impact on Macau.

Not only the Macau gaming industry, but also the overall economy of Macau has been affected, Eilo said, but this is the national policy. The economic damage of Macau is the cost of the COVID-zero policy.

The President of the Macau Responsible Gaming Association, Song Wai Kit, believes easing the COVID-zero policy would be beneficial to Macaus gaming industry but said there are greater issued at hand that even an easing of border and COVID-prevention rules cannot fix.

The main problem facing Macaus gaming industry is the amendment of the mainlands criminal law and the strict control of capital, Song said.

Macau gaming is facing the problem of the transformation of gamblers into low quality and high quantity, which is a change from VIP to mass market gamblers. Even though the anti-epidemic policy has been changed and more tourists are coming to Macau, the quality of gamblers has also changed.

However, Song believes that if mainland China and Macau maintain their isolation policy [for areas impacted by COVID], it will have an impact on visitors to Macau in the long-term.

The real recovery will come when there are no more barriers to free entry and exit, he said.

Continue reading here:

Could China be planning two more years of COVID-zero? Experts outline impact on Macau - Inside Asian Gaming

The Communist Party of Chinas 20th Congress will end on October22, a spokesman said Saturday at a press conference on the eve of the gathering. Members of the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau will meet Chinese and foreign journalists after the conclusion of the first plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which will take place the day after the Congress ends.

Around 2,300 delegates from every province in China will gather at the Great Hall of the People in the capital Beijing from Sunday.

The CPCs five-yearly talking shop will get under way at 10:00 am with an opening ceremony, after which Xi is expected to deliver a speech that will give an assessment of the previous term as well as a roadmap for the next five years.

Congress spokesman Sun Yeli told reporters: The preparations for the Congress have now been fully completed.

Should everything go to what is widely expected by most observers, by the end of the meeting 69-year-old Xi will be reconfirmed as the partys general secretary.

At the conclave, the 2,296 participants will pick members of the partys roughly 200-member Central Committee, which in turn selects the 25-person Politburo and its l Standing Committee the countrys highest leadership body.

Sun said that the number of female delegates has increased to 27 percent from 24 percent at the last Congress in 2017.

China is holding Sundays opening ceremony under a strict pandemic control policy, sealing organisers and journalists in a virus-secure bubble two days in advance.

Addressing the countrys dynamic zero-Covid policy, Sun noted that Chinas measures to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic are the most cost-effective and have worked the best for the country.

Since the onset of the epidemic, China has put people and peoples lives front and center, said Sun Yeli. We give top priority to peoples health and safety. This is part and parcel of our epidemic response efforts.Dynamic zero-COVID policy has been adopted in light of Chinas national realities and it is a science-based policy, Sun added.

The amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress will incorporate the major theoretical views and strategic thinking to be established in a report of the 19th CPC Central Committee to the 20th CPC National Congress, the spokesperson said.The amendment will fully embody the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and to the needs of the times, said Sun Yeli.

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New CPC leadership to be unveiled on Oct 23 - Macau Business

Steve Wynn defeats US lawsuit naming him a Chinese agent By Louis Thompsett

Steve Wynn defeats US lawsuit naming him a Chinese agent

Founder of Wynn Resorts, Steve Wynn, has defeated a US lawsuit stating that Wynn should be registered as a Chinese agent.

After winning the case, Wynn can no longer be ordered to register with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as a foreign agent of China.

The case began in May this year when the DOJ sued for a court order forcing Wynn to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Read more in Gambling Insider's exclusive interview with Jordan Matthews.

DOJ officials alleged that Wynn lobbied former US President Donald Trump on behalf of China in 2017, a claim Wynn and his attorneys have denied ever since.

On 12th October 2022, US District Judge James Boasberg said that given allegations of Wynns association with China ended in 2017, he cannot be required to register as an agent for the country.

In making his ruling, Judge Boasberg pointed to a past example that occurred in a Washington DC Federal Court.

However, the Judge expressed that his rulingwas not a determination that Wynn hadntlobbied on Chinas behalf,but rather that given the length of time passed since the alleged collusion occurred, Wynn was not required to register as a foreign agent.

G2E Las Vegas:Billings compares Wynns US and Asia revenue

Staying on Wynn Resorts, its current CEO Craig Billings discussed the slow return of revenue from Macau, China, and the challenges the operator still faces there amid the current health and safety measures in place.

Excluding Asia, were seeing international business come back, he said. Were seeing it trickle back. China is the big unknown, but well see how this week goes with the major political events over there.

There are tailwinds that arent here yet, that aren't back yet. And so Im bullish on Las Vegas. Were not ignorant or immune to whats going on in the broader macroeconomy. Were less impacted by oil and inflation with our aspirational luxury customers, but probably more impacted by the financial markets.

China, Philippines blacklist confusion

In more China-related news, it was reported yesterday (11 October 2022) that China had officially blacklisted the Philippines as a tourist destination for Chinese citizens.

The move was allegedly made because of the threat of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to the people of China.

These offshore gaming companies have been targeting China, where online gambling is illegal.

Whats more, many Chinese citizens have been deported from the Philippines after emigrating and working for POGOs illegally.

However, the Chinese Embassy in Manila has now said it has not blacklisted the Philippines as a tourist destination.

The Chinese Embassy made the announcement on the evening of 11 October 2022.

The statement read: The report of tourist blacklist is misinformation. This is despite comments from a top official from the Philippines who said that the Filipino Chinese Ambassador had told a group of local senators that China had blacklisted all travel to the Philippines.

It remains unclear, as of yet, what Chinas true intentions on the matter are.

Paul Steel appointed Independent Monitor of Crown Perth

From China to Crown now, where a new Independent Monitor of Crown Perth has been appointed.

Police Force Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel has been charged with supervising the casino by the Western Australia (WA) State Government. He will take on the role in November 2022.

The appointment, which mirrors the Victorian Governments decision to supervise Crown Melbourne, follows a Royal Commission report handed down earlier this year that found the operator unsuitable to retain its casino licence for Crown Perth.

Among other issues, the report recommended a two-year remediation period for Crown to establish suitability.

Missed a big gambling industry story in Asia? Don't worry, Gambling Insider has you covered with our Asia round-up.

Read more here:

Asia round-up: Steve Wynns, the unknown of Macau, blacklist confusion & Crown - Gambling Insider

Inflation in Argentina reached 83 percent in September year-on-year, the highest in 30 years, said the National Statistics and Census Institute (INDEC) on Friday.

The South American country saw a 6.2 percent rise in prices in September compared to August, and a 66.1 percent jump in prices in the first nine months of the year.

The year-on-year price increase is the highest recorded by the country since December 1991.

The sectors with the biggest year-on-year variation in prices were clothing (118 percent), restaurants and hotels (99 percent), food and non-alcoholic beverages (86.6 percent), and miscellaneous goods and services (81.2 percent), INDEC reported.

In general, prices of goods increased 87.6 percent year-on-year, while services rose 71.5 percent.

The government has said combating inflation is one of its top priorities.

According to the latest survey by the Central Bank of Argentina, inflation in the South American country could reach triple digits by the end of the year, climbing to 100.3 percent.

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Argentina records highest inflation in 30 years - Macau Business

Presidential DeterminationNo.2023-02

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Presidential Determination with Respect to the Efforts of Foreign Governments Regarding Trafficking in Persons

Consistent with section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107) (the Act), as amended, I hereby determine as follows:

As provided for in section 110(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, that the United States will not provide nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related assistance to the Governments of Afghanistan, Burma, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), and South Sudan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 until such governments comply with the Acts minimum standards or make significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with the minimum standards;

As provided for in section 110(d)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act, that the United States will not provide nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related assistance to, or allow funding for participation in educational and cultural exchange programs by officials or employees of, the Governments of Belarus, Cuba, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), Eritrea, Macau (Special Administrative Region of the PRC), Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria for FY 2023 until such governments comply with the Acts minimum standards or make significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with the minimum standards;

As provided for in section 110(d)(1)(B) of the Act, I hereby instruct the United States Executive Director of each multilateral development bank, as defined in the Act, and of the International Monetary Fund to vote against and use best efforts to deny any loan or other utilization of the funds of the respective institution (other than for humanitarian assistance; for trade-related assistance; or for development assistance that directly addresses basic human needs, is not administered by the government of such country, and confers no benefit to that government) for the Governments of Belarus, Burma, Cuba, the DPRK, Eritrea, Iran, Macau (Special Administrative Region of the PRC), Nicaragua, the PRC, Russia, South Sudan, and Syria for FY2023 until such governments comply with the Acts minimum standards or make significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with the minimum standards;

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, I determine that the provision of all programs, projects, activities, and funding for educational and cultural exchange programs described in sections 110(d)(1)(A) and 110(d)(1)(B) of the Act to Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Vietnam, would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States;

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, I determine that providing the assistance described in section 110(d)(1)(B) of the Act to Afghanistan and Guinea-Bissau would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States;

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, I determine that a partial waiver with respect to Belarus, Eritrea, Macau (Special Administrative Region of the PRC), and Russia to allow funding for educational and cultural exchange programs described in section 110(d)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States;

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, with respect to Afghanistan, I determine that a partial waiver of the restriction described in section 110(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act to allow for Economic Support Fund (ESF) and Global Health Programs (GHP) assistance would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States;

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, with respect to Guinea-Bissau, I determine that a partial waiver of the restriction described in section 110(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act to allow for International Military Education and Training (IMET); Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and RelatedPrograms-Conventional Weapons Destruction (NADR-CWD); Development Assistance (DA); ESF; and GHP assistance would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States; and

Consistent with section 110(d)(4) of the Act, with respect to South Sudan, I determine that a partial waiver of the restriction described in section 110(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act to allow for GHP assistance would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States.

In addition, with respect to the Governments of Curacao and Sint Maarten, consistent with the United States Governments firm stand against human trafficking, and until such governments take steps consistent with compliance with the minimum standards of the Act or make significant efforts to do so, I hereby: (i)direct that executive departments and agencies shall not provide nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance, as described in section 110(d)(1)(A) of the Act, to the Governments of Curacao and Sint Maarten; (ii) instruct the United States Executive Director of each multilateral development bank, as defined in the Act, and of the International Monetary Fund to vote against and use best efforts to deny any loan or other utilization of the funds of the respective institution (other than for humanitarian assistance, for trade-related assistance, or for development assistance that directly addresses basic human needs, is not administered by such government, and confers no benefit to that government) to Curacao and Sint Maarten, as described in section 110(d)(1)(B) of the Act; and (iii) direct that funding for participation by officials or employees of the Governments of Curacao and Sint Maarten in educational and cultural exchange programs shall continue to be permitted in FY 2023, consistent with the foreign policy and all applicable laws of the United States.

You are authorized and directed to submit this determination, the certification required by section 110(e) of the Act, and the Memorandum of Justification, on which I have relied, to the Congress, and to publish this determination in the FederalRegister.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Memorandum on Presidential Determination with Respect to the Efforts of Foreign Governments Regarding Trafficking in Persons - The White House

Prior to the opening of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the morning of October 16, two important meetings were held, including the Seventh Meeting of the 19th Central Discipline Inspection Committee (CDIC) on October 7, and the Seventh Meeting of the 19th Central Committee (CC). The two meetings of the CDIC and CC were politically significant, laying the foundation of the 20th Party Congress.

The SeventhMeeting of the 19th CDIC witnessed the participation of 129 CDICmembers, while four members were absent including the suddenly passed awaymayor of Tianjin, Liao Guoxun, and the state food and strategic reserveadministration chief, Zhang Wufeng, who was under investigation.

A 256-word reportwas issued after the CDIC meeting, saying that it promoted high qualitydevelopment of discipline inspection work in a new era, that its membersstudied and implemented Xi Jinpings new era socialism thought during the newera, that it implemented the strategy of self-revolutionary strategy byprotecting the authority of the Party and centralizing the Party leadership,and that the committee resolutely and seriously governed the Party. The CDICalso plays the role of supervision, safeguard and implementation from theperspective of national work, thereby forcefully and effectively serving andprotecting the big circumstances of modernization and construction.

The reportmentioned that from 2018 to 2020, about 189,000 cases of disciplines in dealingwith poverty areas and partys work style were investigated, includingdisciplinary action against 95,300 members who had problematic discipline, and embracingpenalties targeted at 92,700 party members who were involved in corruptionduring poverty alleviation work. From the 19th Party Congress toApril 2022, altogether 496,000 cases were investigated, involving 456,000 CPCofficials who were punished. The CDIC utilized not only political supervisionbut also regular inspections to build up a database on disciplinary issues.

During the XiJinping era, China has been working strenuously to pursue and punish corruptparty members through the diligent work of the CDIC. If anti-corruptioncampaigns are a hallmark of China under Xi Jinping, they have importantimplications. Officials involved in corruption, bribery and abuse of power wereremoved from office or punished. The CPC, according to Xi Jinping, mustmaintain its purity against the corrupt elements, who must be rooted out, punishedand purged. In his writings and speeches, Xi Jinping attached foremostimportance to the purification of the superstructure, which includes ideas,culture and art, which have to be socialized and remoulded in such a way as tomaintain the socialist ideology of the entire nation. As he said in the 18thParty Congress in 2012, anti-corruption is an important political strugglethat cannot and should not be lost. Corrupt party members were punished andpurged in the past, including former secretary of the central political andlegal affairs commission Zhou Yongkang, former Chongqing party secretary BoXilai, former Chongqing party secretary Sun Zhengcai, and former chief of theChief Office of CPC Ling Jihua.

If rectification campaigns were launched by CPC leader Mao Zedong in the past to identify, marginalize and root out those elements opposing Maos policies, anti-corruption campaigns have been fully utilized by President Xi and his supporters to eliminate all those rotten apples delegitimizing the CPC. President Xi has often mentioned the need to struggle in his recent speeches, meaning that the CPC must undergo permanent struggles against its own enemies, especially those corrupt party members who discredited the CPC and who failed to uphold the highest values of clean governance as demanded by the Party.

The CDIC meetingwas followed by another important CC meeting on October 9, during which the CPCGeneral Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a work report and in which PolitburoStanding Committee member and ideological architect Wang Huning explained the amendmentsto be made to the draft constitution of the CPC. The official media did notmention the details of the amendments.

However, it wasexpected that Wang might formulate some new developments of the Partystheoretical innovation. So far, the CPCs Party Constitution was amended for tentimes from 1987 to the 19th Party Congress in 2017.

As early asAugust, 2022, CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned that since the 18thParty Congress, the Party and the national enterprises had already madehistorical achievements and historical changes as well as reforms. Moreover,the CPC has succeeded in promoting and developing the Chinese style ofmodernization.

In recent weeks,the CPC Publicity Department has shown two CCTV television programs, includingholding the rudder and steering far away and scientific directions. Theprogram on holding the rudder and steering far away emphasized Xi Jinping asa core leader, while scientific directions centres on Xi Jinpings thought.Hence, President Xi as providing core leadership and his thought are expectedto be highlighted in the 20th Party Congress.

The SeventhMeeting of the CC was opened in Beijing on October 9 and was closed on October12. According to Sing Tao Daily in Hong Kong (Sing Tao Daily, October10, 2022, p. A12), two protections would likely be written into theamendments of the Party Constitution, including (1) resolutely protectingGeneral Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Centre and his corestatus in the whole Party, and (2) resolutely protecting the Party Centresauthority and centralized and united leadership. Moreover, the PartyConstitution would likely incorporate the description of Chinas completereunification, implying that some important statements on Taiwan would bemade.

Naturally, the Party Congress will emphasize the success andachievements of the CPC. In late July, when General Secretary Xi Jinpingdelivered a speech to the leading cadres who would participate in the 20thParty Congress, he had already mentioned that the CPC overcame manydifficulties, achieved many matters, and resisted lots of challenges, includingthose challenges from politics, economics, ideologies, the natural environment.He added that the new era of China in these ten years has witnessed greatchanges and reforms and that the Chinese national development has a watershedsignificance in the history of the Party, the history of new China, the historyof reform and openness, the history of socialism, and the history of thedevelopment of the Chinese nation.

On October 15, General Secretary Xi Jinping is holding a preparatorymeeting of the 20th Party Congress. The preparatory meeting isexpected to approve the composition of the Presidium of the 20thParty Congress, including the lists of chairpersons, executive committeemembers and secretaries. It remains to be seen whether the Presidium of thechairpersons would include the former President and CPC General Secretary JiangZemin and former leader Hu Jintao.

According to SingTao Daily (October 15, 2022, p. A4),Guangxi representatives who went to Beijing had already been mobilized tounderstand two affirmations, namely Xi Jinping as the core leader of the Partycentre and the leading position of Xi Jinping new era Chinese socialismthought. The Liberation Daily also said that the representatives attending the20th Party Congress will in their thought, in politics and inaction maintain high unity with the idea of Comrade Xi Jinping as the Partycentres core. These two affirmations are expected to be written into theamendments of the Party Constitution.

Another focus of the mainland, regional and international media will bethe membership of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), which currently hasseven members. All eyes are focusing on who will be the new blood beingnominated and appointed into the PSC. Ding Xuexiang, the 60-year-old directorof the CPC General Office, appears to be a rising star with tremendous loyaltyto the Party. He has already pledged his allegiance to General Secretary XiJinping. The role of the director of the CPC General Office was traditionallyimportant, including former Premier Wen Jiabao and former PSC member ZengQinghong, who dealt with the daily but important Party and state affairs. Dingas a close protg and aid to CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping has a highchance of being groomed as one of the successors to Xi. Another strongcandidate is Hu Chunhua, who is only 59 years old and who has been adopting alow profile, but he is endowed with rich administrative experiences in Tibet,Inner Mongolia, and Guangdong. Hu would likely have a good chance of succeedingLi Keqiang as the next premier.

In conclusion, the political prelude and etiquette leading to the 20thParty Congress have already been completed. The 20th Party Congressis expected to be the most important event in China under the Xi Jinping era,partly because it will show how the Party Constitution will be amended and partlybecause the potential successors to General Secretary Xi in the coming yearswould emerge in the new composition of the PSC. Most importantly, GeneralSecretary Xi Jinpings core leadership and thought would likely be incorporatedinto the amendments of the Party Constitution, thereby consolidating thelegitimacy of the CPC leadership, and endowing with him a very high degree ofrespect and dignity as with the previous CPC leaders Mao Zedong and DengXiaoping.

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OPINION - Prelude to Chinas 20th Party Congress - Macau Business

Rising food and fuel prices have led to growing civil unrest in Haiti, the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN agencies warned Friday.

Jean-Martin Bauer, country director in Haiti for the WFP, told a press briefing via video link that the country is facing worrying trends in food insecurity and even humanitarian catastrophe.

In the country, the official said, inflation amounting to 30 percent is the worst in 20 years, and food inflation is particularly bad, with the price of the food basket in August being 63 percent more than a year before.

He cited the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report issued Friday as saying that the severity and extent of food insecurity in the country are getting much worse.

According to the report, he said, 4.7 million people are facing acute food insecurity and 1.8 million are facing emergency levels of food insecurity in the country, an increase of 200,000 and half million people respectively than six months ago.

James Elder with the United Nations Childrens Fund told Fridays press briefing that in Haiti, some 100,000 children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition.

Margaret Harris, the spokesperson of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that as of Friday, according to the data of the Haitian Ministry of Health, there were 357 suspected cholera cases, 35 confirmed cases and 21 confirmed deaths.

It was probable that the number of cases would be much higher, she said.

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Rising prices lead to growing civil unrest in Haiti: UN - Macau Business