Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted on Friday the achievements of Macao’s education system, saying he hopes the city will continue cultivating talent to bolster economic diversification and support national development.
The central government official also urged the city's universities to take full advantage of the opportunities and resources presented by the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in neighboring Hengqin, which aims to foster closer economic ties and promote collaboration between the two regions.
On the fifth day of his inspection tour of Macao, Xia visited an IT-themed exhibition and MUST LIU's Innovation and Technology Center at the Macau University of Science and Technology
On the fifth day of his inspection tour of Macao, Xia visited an IT-themed exhibition and MUST LIU's Innovation and Technology Center at the Macau University of Science and Technology.
Joseph Lee Hun-wei, vice-chancellor and president of the university, said Xia was particularly interested in talent cultivation and the industrialization and application of technology in Macao, as well as the progress of the city’s “1+4” development strategy to diversify the city's economy. Xia also recognized the accomplishments of universities in Macao, Lee said.
While touring the University of Macau (UM), just a year after his last visit, Xia gained a comprehensive understanding of the university's latest progress in talent cultivation and scientific research innovation, according to its rector Song Yonghua.
ALSO READ: Xia meets with Macao community, biz leaders on second day of visit
Song added that after learning about the university's development of talent in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, fintech and robotics in support of Macao's economic diversification, Xia expressed a keen interest in how to better leverage such expertise for the city’s scientific development.
The rector said that Xia also wanted to know how young students integrated themselves into the country’s overall development.
Song said the university would live up to Xia’s expectations and develop itself into a world-class higher education institution.
Noting that Xia has visited several schools and universities during this tour, Kong Chi-meng, director of the Macao Education and Youth Development Bureau, said he believes the city's basic education and higher education systems have both achieved good results.
Xia also hopes that higher education institutions in Macao will continue to explore new scientific frontiers and support the country’s overall development, added Kong.
READ MORE: HKMAO chief kicks off seven-day Macao visit
Kong also mentioned that after hearing about UM's plan to establish a school in the Hengqin cooperation zone, Xia encouraged the university to leverage national policy and high levels of education investment to seek further development opportunities within the zone.
Xia said he hoped universities in Macao would instill in students the core values of loving their country and city while continuously improving the quality of education.
Earlier on Friday, the central government official sat down with community advisors for a meal, as he has done on previous days, and discussed topics such as medical care, education and community work.
Xia also visited the Macao Medical Center, which was established by Peking Union Medical College Hospital, an elite hospital on the Chinese mainland; Nam Yue Science Park; and Hac Sa Beach, a local attraction.
Xia wraps up his seven-day inspection tour on Sunday.
