The Award Ceremony for the Science and Technology Awards of the Macao Special Administrative Region – 2024, organized by the Science and Technology Development Fund, was held on May 28 in the East Conference Hall of the Complex of Commerce and Trade Co-operation Platform for China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Director Zheng Xincong of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Commissioner Liu Xianfa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Tai Kin Ip, Secretary for Economy and Finance, President Che Weng Keong of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund, and representatives from the Science and Technology Awards expert panel attended the ceremony and presented awards to the winners. More than 300 representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology Innovation, and local government departments, higher education institutions, and science and technology organizations in Macao also attended the ceremony.

In his speech, Tai Kin Ip extended warm congratulations to all the award recipients. He noted Macao’s remarkable technological outcomes in recent years and expressed gratitude for support from all sectors toward the city’s science and technology endeavors. During his visit to Macao, President Xi Jinping affirmed that “Macao has proven to be capable of conducting cutting-edge world-class scientific research.” Secretary Tai emphasized that innovation in science and technology is essential for Macao’s future development. The SAR Government will continuously increase investment in scientific research, expand international cooperation in science and technology, develop the “Macao for R&D, Hengqin for commercialization” model, and optimize the technological innovation ecosystem, working closely with all sectors of society to advance Macao’s science and technology endeavors.

Chair Professor Jiang Zhi Hong, winner of the First Prize for the Technological Invention Award and Vice President of the Macau University of Science and Technology, delivered a speech on behalf of all the awardees. He expressed his gratitude to all sectors for supporting scientific research and pointed out that the award is not only a recognition of past achievements but also carries the mission of advancing scientific and technological innovation. He stated that his team will continue to focus on key areas and deliver more high-quality research outcomes for the benefit of society. He also called on all Macao researchers to work together and contribute to the flourishing of science and technology in Macao and the strengthening of the country’s scientific and technological capabilities.

The SAR Government established the Science and Technology Awards Schemein 2011 and optimized it in 2024 to further encourage researchers to prioritize the quality of scientific research outcomes and actively promote their application and industrialization. The scope of the awards has also been expanded to include Macao postgraduates studying science and technology overseas, thus strengthening the support for young scientific talent. The selection for the 2024 Science and Technology Awards was completed at the end of last year. After a rigorous evaluation process, 22 projects were selected for the Science and Technology Awards, of which the team led by Vice President Jiang Zhi Hong of the Macau University of Science and Technology and the team led by Associate Professor Sun Guo Xing at the University of Macau won the First Prize, while 30 postgraduates received the Scientific and Technological R&D Award for Postgraduates.