Macao hosts First Conference of International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of Boao Forum for Asia (ISTIF)

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) cancelled its 2020 annual conference, scheduled for April, due to the impact of COVID-19, the international prevention measures to stem the spread of the pandemic and to ensure the health of the participants.
The First Conference of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum (ISTIF) was collaboratively organised by the BFA and the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government in Macao between 9 and 11 November 2020. The opening ceremony took place at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex and other events on the programme were held at the Grand Hyatt Macau.

Worldwide technology innovation trend

The first ISTIF attracted attention nationwide. At the opening ceremony on 10 November, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the BFA, and Mr Han Zheng, Vice Premier of China’s State Council delivered a keynote speech virtually. Other officials delivering speeches at the opening ceremony included Mr Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the BFA Board (via live video call); Mr Ho Hau Wah, President of ISTIF; Mr Zhou Xiaochuan, Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Representative of China; Ms Gloria Arroyo, BFA Board Member and Former President of the Philippines (via live video call); Mr Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR; and Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR. Mr Li Baodong, Secretary-General of BFA was the moderator of the event.

In his congratulatory letter, President Xi remarked that ISTIF provided an important platform to promote exchanges and co-operation in the fields of science, technology and innovation, which could help further develop science and technology (sci-tech) in Asia and elsewhere in the world. Such progress could also enhance the development of innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. President Xi said he hoped that, by focussing on the theme “Innovation Empowers Sustainable Development”, participants would be able to share their insights and promote common understanding and collaboration in the fields of innovation and technology, in order to benefit all people.

During the opening ceremony, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said Macao would further strengthen “top-down design” for innovation in the field of sci-tech, including improving the institutional mechanism for sci-tech innovation and the mechanism for commercialising of sci-tech research outcome.

Themed “Innovation Empowers Sustainable Development”, the three-day conference focused on three key points: Impetus for Innovation, Innovation and Life, and Co-operation on Innovation. Twelve panel sessions were held concurrently in online and offline formats.

Alongside the opening ceremony, the panel sessions contributed to making ISTIF an important international exchange and co-operation platform in the sci-tech field, gathering nearly 1,000 representatives from 25 countries. Participants included five important current and former political leaders, the Chiefs Executives of the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR, more than 10 ministers, two officials from international organisations, nearly 100 keynote speakers, nine ambassadors to China or their representatives; and representatives from more than 10 international enterprises.

Promoting economic diversification, Greater Bay Area integration

During the press conference at the closing ceremony, participants agreed that innovation was the fundamental driving force for development and that the potential for innovation is greater in Asia. The press conference heard the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Areas was full of vitality in terms of innovation, which could be enhanced by the exchange platform provided by BFA. BFA is expected to continue to play its part as an international platform for high-level dialogue, in order to boost international co-operation in the field of innovation and facilitate the pooling of resources between Asia and the rest of the world.

Mr Leong Vai Tac, Executive President of ISTIF, said that through the event, the four main elements of “international co-operation, national development, opportunities for the Greater Bay Area, and Macao’s platform role” were integrated, in order to drive forward a moderate diversification of the city’s economy and propel Macao to a new phase of development, bringing new ideas for further integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Mr Benson Lau Wai Meng, President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, said the Macao SAR Government and BFA were able to build multi-level and multi-sectorial co-operation, including the establishment of the Macao Committee for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development, which is helping to establish an international platform for high-level exchanges and co-operation in science and technology, and to incorporate innovation in the efforts to moderately diversify Macao’s economy.

At the press conference, Mr Li Baodong, Secretary-General of BFA announced the organisation would host the Second Conference of the ISTIF in 2021, concurrently with the International Science, Technology and Innovation Exhibition, in a bid to promote the application of technological research to real-life situations.

Nearly 1,000 representatives from 25 countries took part in the event