Macau News

It was at the 11^th EAGA Council Meeting held in Guam in March 1996 that Macao was awarded the right and honour to host the 4^th East Asian Games. Since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the Government has demonstrated its full support to prepare for the Games, through which will publicize Macao and will stimulate local sports development. On 1 January 2002, the Macao 4^th East Asian Games Organising Committee (MEAGOC) was established. The establishment of MEAGOC is important for the continuity of the mission to conceive, plan, prepare, promote and organise a successful and memorable regional multisport event, the 4^th East Asian Games.

Macau 2005, 4^th East Asian Games will be held from 29 October to 6 November 2005. The 17 sports have assigned. There are 235 individual events which will produce a total of 734 medals, including 235 gold, 235 silver and 264 bronze medals. It is estimated that there will be approximately 3,500 athletes and officials participating in the Games.

MACAU News	Chief Executive Edmund Ho pays "hugely successful" visit to Brazil
	The Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, paid a hugely successful visit to Brazil in June. During the week-long visit, Mr. Ho and his delegation met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and other high-ranking federal and state-level government and business community representatives. Mr. Ho's top-level meeting with President Lula da Silva focused on the two sides' traditionally close relationship. President Lula da Silva expressed great interest in Macau's position as a business-service platform in southern China, namely the Pan Pearl River Delta that comprises nine mainland provinces as well as Hong Kong and Macau. Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Ho described the meeting as "very friendly and constructive," adding the Brazilian president supported Macau's increasingly important role as a platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking world. In Sao Paulo, the chief executive held talks with the Vice-Governor of the State of Sao Paulio, Claudio Lembo. Sao Paulo and Macau are sister cities. Mr. Ho briefed the vice-governor on Macau's increasingly important role as a business-service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking world, including Brazil. Mr. Lembo expressed great interest in Macau's status as a free port and its Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with mainland China. The chief executive and his delegation also held talks with Brazil's Minister of Development, Industrial and External Trade Luiz Fernando Furlan, the President of the Federal Senate Renan Calheiros and the President of the Chamber of Deputies Severino Cavalcanti during their stay in Brasilia. The delegation also paid a working visit to the capital of the Amazon, Manaus and Rio de Janeiro. Speaking in Rio de Janeiro, Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam Pak Yuen described the visit as a "huge success" that he said was "fruitful in many ways." Mr. Tam also said it was encouraging to see that a number of Macau business entities and their Brazilian counterparts signed a string of cooperation agreements during the visit, which took place on June 20-25.
	Macao 4^th East Asian Games Organising Committee
	It was at the 11^th EAGA Council Meeting held in Guam in March 1996 that Macao was awarded the right and honour to host the 4^th East Asian Games. Since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the Government has demonstrated its full support to prepare for the Games, through which will publicize Macao and will stimulate local sports development. On 1 January 2002, the Macao 4^th East Asian Games Organising Committee (MEAGOC) was established. The establishment of MEAGOC is important for the continuity of the mission to conceive, plan, prepare, promote and organise a successful and memorable regional multisport event, the 4^th East Asian Games. Macau 2005, 4^th East Asian Games will be held from 29 October to 6 November 2005. The 17 sports have assigned. There are 235 individual events which will produce a total of 734 medals, including 235 gold, 235 silver and 264 bronze medals. It is estimated that there will be approximately 3,500 athletes and officials participating in the Games.