Macao’s unique East-meets-West culture is the key to its future and should be fully capitalised, according to Macau Foundation director Wu Zhiliang.
Speaking at the third Annual Conference on Macau Studies – recently hosted by the University of Macau (UM) – Wu described culture as the city’s “greatest value and advantage.”
He added: “As the core element in strengthening the national identity of the Chinese nation and building a community with a shared future for mankind, culture deserves to be valued, studied, and promoted.”
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The conference serves as a platform for scholars from around the world to discuss regional development and geopolitics as they relate to Macao. This year, it was held both in person and online.
The director of the Macau Studies Center, Agnes Lam, said that the conference aimed to facilitate dialogue, exchange and cooperation between academics interested in the territory.
UM’s vice-rector Ge Wei, who was in attendance, noted that Macao had undergone significant changes at various points in its history, shaping its role in both Greater China and the world. He said that the conference helped deepen attendees’ understanding of the city’s broader context.