To further understand Macao’s development in science and technology, deepen scientific exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Macao, support Macao's development in science and technology, and promote Macao's participation in the construction of the international innovation and technology hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Ministry of Science and Technology entrusted the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) to organize a symposium with scientific researchers in Macao on March 28, attended by nearly 90 participants including Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Ye Dongbai, Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Xu Jing, Director-General of the Department of Strategic Planning of MOST, Ye Yujiang, Director-General of the Department of Basic Research of MOST, Wu Yuanbin, Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology for Social Development of MOST, and members of the delegation, Xu Jun, Assistant Director General of Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Wang Ruijun, Director General of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Lam Kam Seng, Vice President of Macao Science and Technology Committee, Chui Sai Peng, Macao-side President of the Mainland-Macao Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation, Ma Chi Ngai, President of the Administrative Committee of FDCT, Cheang Kun Wai and Chan Wan Hei, members of the Administrative Committee of FDCT, committee members of the Macao Science and Technology Committee, and representatives from the University of Macau, the Macau University of Science and Technology, the Macao Polytechnic Institute, the City University of Macau, University  of Saint Joseph, Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau and Kiang Wu Hospital.
 
      In his speech, Wang Zhigang said that China has always attached great importance to the development of science and technology innovation and established the "three-step" development strategy to build China into a world-class science and technology power. The report of the 19th CPC National Congress further clarified the important position of innovation in leading economic and social development. It marks the innovation drive as a basic national policy that will play an increasingly significant strategic support role in the development of China in the new era. The science and technology competence of Macao is an important part of the national science and technology competence. During his visit in Macao, Minister Wang Zhigang noticed that Macao's science and technology development is in good shape, and the achievements of the State Key Laboratories are especially impressive. To have a place in the Greater Bay Area and even in the international arena, in addition to further development on the existing basis, it is necessary for Macao’s science and technology community to give full play to the advantages of local internationalized environment, attract high-level scientific research talents, create high-level scientific research platform, and become a pillar of the Science and Technology Innovation Corridor in the Greater Bay Area. In the future, the Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to listen to the demands of Macao's scientific research community and give more policy support, so that the researchers in Macao will be confident about their future, have a sense of gain, and fully utilize their wisdom to make more contributions to building China into a world-class science and technology power.
 
      Lam Kam Seng pointed out that the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (hereinafter as the “Outline Development Plan”) proposed to build the "Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau" science and technology innovation corridor as the main axis of the international science and technology innovation center, providing a broad space for development of Macao science and technology innovation. In this year's policy address, the SAR Government clearly listed science and technology innovation as its main focus. At the beginning of the year, the “Macao’s Working Committee for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” was established, and its “Task Force of Innovation, Technology and Smart City Development” was set up to coordinate scientific and technological innovation, design scientific and technological innovation development strategies, scientific research and innovation tax incentive system, and optimize the mechanism introducing high-end scientific research talents. He called on all Macao science and technology practitioners to seize the opportunity to enhance their competitiveness and make greater contributions to Macao's role as a technological innovation base on the west bank of the Pearl River.
 
      Chui Sai Peng thanked the Ministry of Science and Technology and the scientific researchers in Macao for their contributions to Macao's development in science and technology. In the past year, the cooperation between the two places has achieved a lot of results. For example, the Ministry of Science and Technology has expanded the Centrally-Financed S&T Funds to Macao, encourage Macao universities and scientific research institutions to participate in the Centrally-Financed S&T Projects and other science and technology policies. In addition, the Ministry approved the establishment of two new State Key Laboratories in Macao, continued to carry out joint funding, co-organized the Training Courses of Chinese Medicine Quality Assurance, and promoted substantive cooperation through the five working groups of the liaison offices. The Outline Development Plan pointed out that it is necessary to give full play to the role of the Mainland-Macao Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation and enable Macao to integrate into the national innovation system and play a more important role in it. The Macao science and technology community should keep abreast of the pace of national development, push forward Macao's scientific and technological achievements to reach the next milestone, and contribute to the country's efforts to build itself into a world-class science and technology power.
 
      According to Ma Chi Ngai, the FDCT has been actively promoting the development of science and technology in Macao since its establishment. Through a series of subsidies and support, as well as the efforts of scientific researchers across Macao, the overall level of technological innovation in Macao has been significantly improved. The FDCT has doubled its budget this year and has already launched some new special funding programs. It is expected to open up new research directions on the basis of consolidating the existing advantages. He expressed the hope that the Ministry of Science and Technology will support the establishment of a new national-level scientific research and industry-academia-research platform in Macao, and attract more Macao experts to enter the expert database for national key R&D projects to provide more opportunities for Macao experts to participate in the preparation of the Implementation Plan for National Key R&D Programs. It is hoped that the scientific and technological community will keep pace with the national strategy, take the initiative to participate in the task of building the international innovation and technology hub, and boost Macao’s diversified and sustainable development with outstanding scientific and technological achievements.
 
      Participants expressed their opinions on the construction of Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, the implementation of national key science and technology projects, the development of State Key Laboratories, the transfer of biological samples, the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, the movement of labor force in the Greater Bay Area, and the introduction and cultivation of scientific research talents. Wang Zhigang responded to each of them during the lively discussions.

Minister Wang Zhigang gave speech

Minister Wang Zhigang held discussions with Macao’s scientific researchers at the symposium