Beijing’s National Ministry of Science and Technology awarded plaques to Macao’s designated State Key Laboratories yesterday, to mark the four research institutions’ successful restructuring. Following the upgrade, the four laboratories are now integrated into China’s national research network.
This increased connectivity with mainland Chinese research institutions will help the laboratories focus more on research that “closely aligns with national strategic needs,” said Jiang Zhihong, director of the Chinese traditional medicine mechanism and quality laboratory. The laboratories would be able to gain more impact and recognition for their work, he told Macao Daily.
According to Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, the revamped State Key Laboratories allow Macao to play a bigger role in China’s scientific and technological development. The laboratories are a “central force in the local scientific and technological innovation system,” he said in a speech during the award ceremony.
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Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun was also present at the event. “We expect the laboratories to strengthen their sense of mission, foster talent, and deepen cooperation with top institutions and enterprises in the mainland,” he said in a speech.
The four State Key Laboratories in Macao were established in 2010 and 2018. Their research focuses on traditional Chinese medicine, analogue and mixed-signal integrated circuits, the Internet of Things for smart cities, as well as lunar and planetary science. The laboratories are tasked with contributing to the further development of China’s defence and commercial sectors.
In his speech, Sam said that the Macao government would continue supporting advancements in the city’s science and technology sectors, pointing to projects in progress such as the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) City and the Macao Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park.
