CityU hosts Seminar on Sci-Tech Collaboration Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, exploring new pathways for multilateral innovation

Sci-Tech Collaboration Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries

The “Seminar on Sci-Tech Collaboration Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries” was successfully held today at the Taipa Campus of the City University of Macau (CityU). It was jointly organized by CityU’s Institute for Research on Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Research Center for Macau Social and Economic Development, Macau “One Belt One Road” Research Center, and “Belt and Road” Portuguese-Speaking Countries Information and Country Studies Center.The event was attended by representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, including Deputy Director Huang Zhihu and Deputy Head Zhang Liangliang of the Research Office, and Zhu Daoyang, a researcher from the Economic Affairs Department. Also in attendance were Liang Qiaozhi, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Public Diplomacy of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Chio Kuong, Head of the Supervision Division of the Personal Data Protection Bureau of the Macao SAR; U U Sang, President of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; António Lei and Danilo Afonso Henriques, Deputy Secretary-Generals of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, alongside representatives of other nations; Lei Chon Kit, Head of the Technology Industry Promotion Division of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR; and António Trindade, President of CESL Asia.

In his address, Ip Kuai Peng, Vice Rector of CityU and Dean of the Institute for Research on Portuguese-Speaking Countries, emphasized that Macao remains a pivotal window for China’s high-level opening-up under the “one country, two systems” policy. Currently, the nation is promoting a new development paradigm through increased openness. Macao should anchor itself to its strategic positioning as “one center, one platform, and one base”, and make full use of its advantages as a free port to pioneer international collaboration models in high-tech industries, the digital economy, and the standardization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), contributing to China’s drive to become a global leader in science and technology while advancing Macao’s own adequate economic diversification. Furthermore, building on its strong ties with Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs), Macao should make active attempts to broaden exchanges with Spanish-speaking countries across various sectors, establishing a comprehensive, deeply integrated, and sustainable cooperation ecosystem for an expanded global network and ultimately opening new pathways to Chinese modernization.Vice Rector Ip made the following proposals: First, he proposed enhancing technological collaboration to build an international innovation hub. Capitalizing on its institutional strengths and the state key laboratories in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Macao should set up cross-regional think tanks with leading universities in Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries, prioritizing joint R&D breakthroughs in green energy, biomedicine, and digital technologies to facilitate the cross-border flow of technical expertise. Such efforts will help bridge the digital divide for developing countries and establish the GBA as a bridgehead for technological advancement in the Global South. Second, he proposed deepening economic and trade connectivity to expand international market networks. While consolidating its efforts in Portuguese-speaking markets, Macao ought to develop a multidimensional cooperation framework targeting the EU and Spanish-speaking economies. Leveraging its role as a platform, Macao can facilitate precise business matching between Chinese and PSC companies while supporting GBA enterprises in conducting business inspections, promoting investments, and attending international exhibitions and conferences in PSCs. Third, he proposed establishing a composite talent training system to address the talent shortage. To address language barriers and skill mismatches in sci-tech cooperation, it is necessary for Macao to promote the joint cultivation of multilingual technology professionals at Chinese, Portuguese-, and Spanish-speaking universities. Curricula should include specialized modules such as renewable energy terminology, biopharmaceutical patents, and digital economy regulations. By setting up scholar exchange programs and a seamless talent pipeline covering education, internships, and employment, Macao can cultivate versatile professionals who are both technically proficient and knowledgeable about international regulations, therefore solidifying its role as a sci-tech talent nexus for South-South cooperation.

Professor Pedro Steenhagen from Fudan University analyzed the current technological and innovation cooperation between China and Brazil, along with potential opportunities, underscoring the critical significance of intellectual property (IP) in their partnership. He argued that Macao can serve as a unique hub for dialogue, training, and institutional coordination in innovation and IP between China, Brazil, and other PSCs, thus bolstering China’s overseas technological influence, propelling the growth of PSC innovation ecosystems, and facilitating the implementation of multilateral cooperation initiatives.

Professor Marta Filipa Simões from the Macau University of Science and Technology introduced China-PSC joint research projects in fungi and astrobiology, proposing collaborating on multiple research projects with scientific institutions in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Portugal via Macao to drive cross-regional scientific innovation.

Professor André Antunes from the University of Saint Joseph (Macao) highlighted Macao’s liaison role within the PSC network. Despite the focus on the economy in official cooperation, he identified science as the next frontier. Through an analysis of Macao’s overall scientific research landscape, strategic priorities, and university specialties, as well as China-PSC cooperation cases in life sciences, green ecology, and the marine economy, he explored the opportunities and challenges of future China-PSC collaboration.

Professor Tiago Vasconcelos from the University of Lisbon noted Macao’s vast potential as a crucial platform for technological and scientific cooperation between China and PSCs. According to him, Macao’s role as a bridge between China and the global community is strategically significant in advancing sci-tech partnerships between China and PSCs. He urged Macao to reinforce its platform role by leveraging its advantages while seeking diverse cooperation opportunities, thereby injecting fresh momentum into international collaboration.

Professor José Paulo Esperança, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business at CityU, examined the pivotal role of China-PSC joint sci-tech initiatives, focusing particularly on the contributions of Portugal’s Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Through a quantitative analysis of funded projects, he demonstrated the FCT’s efforts in fostering international cooperation and tackling shared challenges. His breakdown of key research domains, funding trajectories, and success cases highlighted both the potential for collaborative innovation and the importance of maintaining long-term research partnerships.

At the event, scholars unanimously recognized Macao’s unique strategic value in establishing multilateral dialogue mechanisms, facilitating joint research implementation, and building knowledge-sharing platforms, all derived from its geographic and institutional position. They also identified untapped potential for interdisciplinary collaboration in emerging fields such as sustainable development, the marine economy, and life sciences.

In his closing remarks, Dr. João Simões, Director of the “Belt and Road” Portuguese-Speaking Countries Information and Country Studies Center, pointed out that this event offered a systemic analysis of the current sci-tech cooperation between China and PSCs, reaffirming Macao’s consistent strategic position as a key hub. Recognizing the growing complexity of global challenges, he believes that fostering mutual trust and collaboration to stimulate innovation is the key to overcoming these challenges collectively. Dr. Simões also expressed his hope to forge more inclusive and resilient sci-tech cooperation models through continuously strengthened partnerships in order to make intellectual contributions to the establishment of a shared future for humanity.

Source: Graduate School

HomePage_News

CityU hosts Seminar on Sci-Tech Collaboration Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, exploring new pathways for multilateral innovation

Programs

About CityU

News and Event

Information

Quick Links