The “Transformation Base for TCM Scientific and Technological Achievements in the Greater Bay Area” held its first event after establishment, the Scientific and Technological Achievements Sharing Forum, at The Venetian Macao on 26 September. More than 400 people attended the event, including experts from 11 higher education institutions in Macao and other cities in the Greater Bay Area, and representatives of well-known companies and third-party agencies. The event aims to make full use of the advantages of GMTCM Park as a public service platform to promote the transfer and transformation of TCM scientific and technological achievements in universities and research institutes in the Greater Bay Area, thus contributing to the development of the TCM industry.
At the opening ceremony of the 2019 Traditional Medicine International Cooperation Forum (Macao, China) on 25 September, the “Transformation Base for TCM Scientific and Technological Achievements in the Greater Bay Area” was officially inaugurated by the Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Chui Sai On, together with other guests and representatives from higher education institutions. The Base was a project initiated by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao (hereinafter referred to as “GMTCM Park”), and jointly established with a number of higher education institutions in the Greater Bay Area. The Base brings together scientific and technological achievements of nearly 10 higher education institutions from Macao and Mainland China, and boosts incubation and transformation through the platform of the GMTCM Park. It strives to become a hub for the transformation of TCM scientific and technological achievements rooted in the Greater Bay Area and facing the world. At the same time, to meet the needs of enterprises, the Base will hold matching forums of higher education institutions scientific and technological achievements in the GMTCM Park, from time to time, and carry out cooperative research and development, technological exchanges and achievement transactions to promote the matching of relevant scientific research results with the enterprises settling in GMTCM Park and form an innovative development cluster of the TCM industry.
At the Scientific and Technological Achievements Sharing Forum, the Adviser to the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the MSAR Government and President and CEO of the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd., Ms. Lu Hong, noted that the launch of the “Transformation Base for TCM Scientific and Technological Achievements in the Greater Bay Area” marks a substantial step of GMTCM Park in promoting the innovation of TCM industry-university-research cooperation and, for its part, the Scientific and Technological Achievements Sharing Forum as the first thematic event following the launch of the Base, was also a good start. At present, GMTCM Park has taken shape in the construction of a public service platform for promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, which creates a favorable environment for industrial development, and provides comprehensive support in policies, technologies, and markets for the incubation and transformation of scientific and technological achievements in higher education institutions. Next, GMTCM Park will work closely with higher education institutions to facilitate the incubation and transformation of the achievements by taking advantage of the platform of GMTCM Park, promote matching for university research achievements with enterprises in GMTCM Park, and create an environment for innovation of industry-university-research cooperation.
Solving the Difficulties of TCM Achievements Transformation
The Deputy Director of the Division of Social Development and Basic Research of the Guangdong Science and Technology Department, Mr. Ban Wu, addressed that traditional Chinese medicine in Guangdong and Macao has developed rapidly and the level of cooperation has been continuously improved. The Guangdong Science and Technology Department is currently promoting the TCM industry to a higher-level and wider-ranging integrated development through various policies and measures, and improving the high-end development, standardisation and internationalisation of traditional Chinese medicine in Guangdong and Macao. The “Transformation Base for TCM Scientific and Technological Achievements in the Greater Bay Area” is the first TCM-themed scientific and technological achievements transformation base in South China. It not only meets the urgent needs of the development of TCM industry in the Greater Bay Area and solves the dilemma of lacking a professional platform, service agencies and talents for achievement transformation, but also builds channels and bridges for the transformation. GMTCM Park provides a space carrier and technical support for the transformation of TCM scientific and technological achievements. With platform and resource advantages, GMTCM Park can effectively facilitate the matching of TCM scientific and technological achievements and technology transfer, and boost the rapid shift of science and technology towards innovative productive forces.
Meanwhile, the Member of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund, Mr. Cheang Kun Wai, hoped that more outstanding scientific and technological achievements could be commercially applied in Macao, thus promoting an adequate diversification of Macao’s economy with science and technology. During the Forum, Mr. Cheang also introduced Macao’s funding for science and technology projects that furthers the cooperation between Guangdong and Macao as well as the industry-university-research cooperation.
Promoting Transfer and Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements
At the session of higher education institutions projects release, more than 10 academic institutions from Mainland China and Macao introduced, respectively, their academic advantages and quality projects seeking for cooperation. Representatives of TCM companies and investment institutions actively participated in the discussions and showed great interest in the higher education institutions achievements to be transformed. The Forum was immersed in a warm atmosphere.
Subsequently, the session of product display and free exchanges brought the Forum to a climax. In the exhibition areas of higher education institutions achievements, enterprises and organisations interacted with school representatives on projects of interest and reached a preliminary cooperation intention.
The Scientific and Technological Achievements Sharing Forum directly and effectively established a platform for connecting universities, enterprises, and third-party organisations, promoted the exchange of information and cooperation on “supply, demand, and service” in TCM and comprehensive health industries, and improved the transformation efficiency of scientific and technological achievements. In the future, GMTCM Park will also work closely with higher education institutions both at home and abroad, including those in the Greater Bay Area, to further leverage its platform advantages and resource advantages, promote the matching, trading, incubation and transformation of TCM scientific and technological achievements, and strive to develop the “Transformation Base for TCM Scientific and Technological Achievements in the Greater Bay Area” into a pivotal platform that supports the innovative development of the TCM industry in Greater Bay Area.
