The review meeting for the Joint Funding Scheme between the Science and Technology Development Fund (hereinafter referred to as “FDCT”) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (hereinafter referred to as “NSFC”) was held in Macao on July 14. The meeting was attended by U U Sang, President of the FDCT Administrative Committee; Cheang Kun Wai, Member of the FDCT Administrative Committee; Li Wencong, Deputy Director General of the NSFC Bureau of International Cooperation; and 14 review experts. A total of 109 valid applications were reviewed at the joint review meeting. The participating experts held in-depth discussions on the innovation, feasibility, and cross-regional collaboration value of the projects. Following a vote, 19 projects were selected for the list of supported projects.

        U U Sang, President of the FDCT Administrative Committee, stated at the meeting that Macao’s scientific research and innovation ecosystem has become increasingly vibrant, and that market recognition of Macao’s scientific and technological capabilities has continued to grow. In the first half of this year, two Macao-funded technology enterprises were listed in Hong Kong, reflecting that local innovation achievements are gradually entering the capital market and moving into industrial application. He noted that the number of annual project applications under the joint funding scheme between Macao and NSFC has exceeded 100 in each of the past four years. This year, a total of 162 project applications were received, of which 109 were valid applications. Competition for funding has continued to intensify, while the innovation and technological content of the research topics have also continued to improve. Looking ahead, with the advancement of the International Innovation and Technology Hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, industry-academia-research collaboration between Macao and the nine GBA cities will become even closer. FDCT will continue to carry out work under models such as “enterprises pose the problems and universities solve them” and “R&D in Macao, Transformation in Hengqin,” leveraging scientific research capabilities to promote the implementation of more high-value-added industrial projects in Macao and Hengqin.

        Since FDCT and NSFC signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and Exchange in January 2016, the two parties have renewed three cooperation documents, most recently in October 2025, further advancing a series of collaborations, including the joint funding scheme between Macao and NSFC. The joint funding scheme has achieved significant results in fields such as quality control of traditional Chinese medicines, microelectronics, advanced materials, and space science, gradually forming disciplinary strengths in the region and providing solid scientific research support for Macao’s role as an important node in the development of the International Innovation and Technology Hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

        As the development of the International Innovation and Technology Hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area continues to advance, Macao’s links with the Chinese mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area in the field of industry-academia-research collaboration will become even closer. The FDCT will continue to promote cooperation models such as “R&D in Macao, Transformation in Hengqin,” facilitate the transformation and application of more scientific research achievements in Macao and across the GBA, and contribute to Macao’s appropriate economic diversification and high-quality development.