At the end of last year, the National Key R&D Programs began to receive applications from the four pilot universities in Macao. In order to let Macao science and technology practitioners fully understand the program, the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao (FDCT) invited representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology to come to Macao and hold a symposium on March 12 to give an introduction on the National Key R&D Programs. The symposium was attended by Cheang Kun Wai, member of the Administrative Committee of FDCT, Liu Lianggang, technology consultant of FDCT, Wu Cheng, Deputy Director of China Science and Technology Exchange Center (CSTEC), CSTEC Division Director Xu Hongbin , Deputy Division Director Feng Lin and Program Head Zhao Gaobin, researcher Liu Chunxiao and Deputy Director Zhang Lingyun of Department of Resource Allocation and Management of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Liu Hua, deputy researcher of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and more than 50 representatives from the University of Macau, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Polytechnic Institute and City University of Macau.

      In his speech, Cheang Kun Wai first thanked the Ministry of Science and Technology for supporting the development of science and technology in Macao. He said that the many favorable technology-related policies implemented by the country in the past year had promoted the growth of Macao's scientific research in various aspects, which helped enhance the sense of achievement, honor and belonging of Macao's scientific and technological community, and gave Macao more opportunities to play its own advantages and serve the needs of the country, truly integrating into the national science and technology innovation system and further promoting scientific exchanges and cooperation between the Mainland and Macao. He also pointed out that with the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the development plan of the international innovation and technology hub in the area centering on the "Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau" technology innovation corridor, the Macao science and technology community should grasp opportunities, base their work on the national strategies, and actively participate in the development of the international innovation and technology hub. He also said that the FDCT will be fully prepared to communicate with relevant departments in the Mainland to provide more support and services to local researchers.

      Wu Cheng said in his speech that President Xi Jinping pointed out at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China that the country should support Hong Kong and Macao to integrate into national development and promote mutually beneficial all-round cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao. Early last year, the Centrally-Financed S&T Funds was successfully launched in Macao, and two State Key Laboratories in Macao have received the funding. In November, the National Key R&D Programs launched three special areas for some pilot universities in Hong Kong and Macao. In January this year, six more special areas were open for application. According to Wu, on the invited trip to Macao, the representatives did not only introduce the National Key R&D Programs, but also needed to understand and listen to the questions and opinions of the researchers in Macao, which will serve as a basis for their next step to study and formulate plans in accordance with the characteristics of scientific research in Macao, giving Macao more opportunities to play its own advantages and serve the needs of the country.

      The representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology gave presentations on “Introduction to National Key R&D Programs”, “Funding Management of National Key R&D Programs” and “Project Management Process of National Key R&D Programs”. Participants raised specific questions on the acceptance of Macao experts into the expert database, the guideline preparation, application, review, procedure management, acceptance of final reports related to the National Key R&D Programs, and expressed the hope to have more key areas involving Macao's advantages opened in the future. The representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology responded to the questions and opinions of the participants one by one, which formed an active communication with the participants.

Speech by committee member Cheang Kun Wai