On Jan. 7, 2016, Prof. Liu Congqiang, Vice President of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and Mr. Ma Zhiyi, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao Special Administrative Region (FDCT) signed in Beijing the NSFC-FDCT Memorandum of Understanding on S&T Cooperation and Exchange, as well as three implementation plans on joint research programs, joint academic workshops and peer review commissioned by FDCT to NSFC of research proposals, respectively. Views were also exchanged on not only the priority funding areas and funding scale for bilateral joint call for research proposals in 2016, but also the topics of the joint workshop to be held in 2016.

Vice President Liu held talks with the delegation, emphasizing that the mainland China and Macao enjoys a solid foundation for cooperation in the field of science and technology, and the formal bilateral cooperation partnership based on this foundation is sure to promote the development of cooperation between mainland China and Macao in basic sciences through joint research programs, academic workshops and peer review commissioned by FDCT to NSFC of research proposals.

Mr. Ma Zhiyi highly appreciated the proactive and efficient communication and exchange between both sides in furtherance of the establishment of comprehensive cooperative partnership. He also expressed that great importance has been attached by FDCT to the collaboration with mainland China for a long time and, under this MoU framework, FDCT and NSFC would play bigger roles in pushing on with the cooperation among scientists in Macao and mainland China.

Zou Liyao, Director of NSFC Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, made a brief introduction of the history and current development of NSFC and reviewed the collaboration between NSFC and FDCT.

Participants in the meeting and signing ceremony also included Zhao Jing,  Division Director of Education, Science and Culture, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Wang Wenze and Lin Wencheng, both from NSFC Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs.