The 12th meeting of the Mainland-Macao Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation was successfully held in Wuhan, Hubei Province on November 14th. The Mainland side was headed by Zhang Jianguo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and Chen Anli, Deputy Governor of Hubei Province, whereas the Macao side was headed by Chui Sai Peng. The meeting was attended by more than 60 representatives of relevant authorities, tertiary educational institutions and research institutions from the Mainland and Macao. The Macao representatives attending the meeting included President Ma Chi Ngai Frederico and committee member Cheang Kun Wai of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT), Liu Liang, President of the Macau University of Science and Technology, and Tam Wai Man, Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA).

      In his speech, Chui Sai Peng thanked the Ministry of Science and Technology for taking the lead in launching a series of science and technology policies in the past year including expanding the Centrally-Financed S&T Funds to Macao, and further promoting the integration of Macao into the cause of science and technology in China. He said that in order to speed up innovation-driven development, the Chief Executive of Macao had proposed to increase investment in scientific and technological innovation, focusing on increasing support for existing State Key Laboratories, implementing innovative science and technology projects, and supporting scientific and technological talents. He also expressed the hope that the Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant authorities will continue to vigorously support the development of Macao's science and technology, and encourage the Macao science and technology community to seize the development opportunities of building an international innovation and technology hub in the Greater Bay Area, promote Macao's innovation and development, and contribute to the country's development as a world-class technological power.

      In his speech, Zhang Jianguo said that in accordance with the instructions of President Xi, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and other ministries and departments launched a series of science and technology policies favorable to Hong Kong and Macao this year to fully support the scientific and technological innovation of the two regions. In October this year, he visited Macao's major scientific research institutions and had a discussion with local researchers to gain an in-depth understanding of Macao's technological development. Macao's progress in technological innovation left a deep impression on him. Macao's technological level and R&D ability has developed greatly and serves as an increasingly important platform for the country to carry out international scientific and technological cooperation. He said that the Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to vigorously support Macao to develop technological innovation, and hopes that Macao will continue to make breakthroughs in a number of key scientific and technological fields and provide support for the sustainable development of Macao's economy and society.

      Subsequently, the five working groups of the liaison offices of the Committees of the two places reported their work on Chinese medicine, energy conservation and environmental protection, electronics and information, science popularization, and marine science. The representatives of the two sides also reported and exchanged on matters related to joint funding, the construction of State Key Laboratories and the Training Course in Chinese Medicine Quality Assurance. In the past year, the scientific and technological cooperation between the Mainland and Macao has made new progress through the joint efforts of both sides. Two new State Key Laboratories have been set up to enable Macao to have more research platforms to attract high-level talents and carry out high-level research; the planning of science and technology innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was carried out, with the cooperation on science and technology between Guangdong and Macao reaching a new level; the Centrally-Financed S&T Funds was successfully launched in Macao to support scientific research of pilot projects, so that the local tertiary institutions have the opportunity to participate in the National Key R&D Programs; seven Training Courses of Chinese Medicine Quality Assurance have been co-organized, and participated by the students as far as from the Southeast Asia countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative; the Mainland-Macao joint research funding projects have were actively applied for and the budget amount has been raised; the training of Portuguese-speaking science and technology management officials has been carried out for nine times, contributing to China’s foreign affairs on science and technology; cooperation on Chinese medicine, energy conservation and environmental protection, electronics and information, science popularization, and marine science have also been deepened.

      At the meeting, the representatives also expressed their opinions on the arrangement of the above-mentioned reporting matters, and discussed and approved the work plan for 2018-2019. According to the work plan, the Mainland and Macao will cooperate on the following aspects in the coming year: (1) co-financing the science and technology cooperation projects between the two places; (2) continuing to support the construction and development of the State Key Laboratories of Macao and assisting the labs in undertaking and participating in the National Key R&D Programs; (3) promoting the steady launching of more National Key R&D Programs in Macao; (4) continuing to cooperate in the development of Portuguese-speaking science and technology management officials; (5) continuing to cooperate in the field of science and technology awards; (6) organizing more technical training workshops in Macao for developing countries (especially the countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative and Portuguese-speaking countries); (7) promoting exchanges and cooperation in various fields of work groups; (8) further promoting the development of science and technology in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

      During the period in Wuhan, the representatives from Macao would also visit Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and FiberHome Technologies Group.

Group photo of all participants of the meeting

Chairman of Macao side of the Mainland-Macao Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation Chui Sai Peng gave speech

Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Jianguo gave speech