The Press Conference Releasing Basic Research Outcomes on Macau Society and Culture was held by Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR) of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) at A501, Block A on the afternoon of May 14th 2015. Professor Zhang Shuguang, Senior Vice President of MUST and Director of ISCR, Professor Xu Aoao, Adviser to the Chancellor of MUST, Professor Hao Yufan, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Director of Center for Macau Studies, University of Macau, Dr. Lin Guangzhi, Academic Director of Center for Macau Studies, Mr. Yang Qun, Chief Editor of China Social Sciences Academic Press, Ms. Gao Mingxiu, Vice Director of Division of Global & Area Studies, China Social Sciences Academic Press,Professor Zhou Jianming, Institute of Social Science, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Ms. Tang Mei Lin, Director of the Macao Central Library of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Professor Dai Longji, University Librarian, Dr. Raymond Wong, Associate University Librarian of University of Macau Library, Mr. Wu Lat Pio, Functional Head of Macao Polytechnic Institute Library, Ms. Chan Kam Jac, Acting Head of Library of Institute for Tourism Studies, Professor Song Yanan, Assistant Director of ISCR, MUST, Distinguished Professor Li Shiyuan, MUST and Assistant University Librarian Yang Xunling, MUST etc. attended the press conference.
Professor Song Yanan, Assistant Director of ISCR, MUST hosted the press conference and Professor Zhang Shuguang, Senior Vice President of MUST and Director of ISCR delivered a speech. In his speech, Professor Zhang revealed that the research outcomes released this time were selected from 2013-14 projects funded by Macau Foundation and mainly included three major projects: Chinese-Lusophone Relations(I): China and Brazil; the Historical Maps of Macau (I); and Global Archives on Macau (I). The outcomes released this time have different characteristics and are highly recognized in their respective fields. Three research outcomes have been published in book form by China Social Sciences Academic Press.
One of the outcomes of research on Chines-Lusophone Relations (I) is the published English Proceedings Chinese-Lusophone Relations: China and Brazil. A collection of academic papers on topics such as “Evolving Roles of Brazil and China in Global Governance”, “Lessons of Chinese-Brazilian Cooperation and Competition in Trade and Economy”, “Comparison and Contrast of the Rises of China and Brazil” and “China-Brazil Relations and Macau”, the book actually gathers research fruits of a range of national and overseas scholars and experts on economics, international relations and Brazil, who are from a variety of institutions including Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Yale University, USA, Mercer University, USA, University of Denver, USA, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Boao Forum for Asia, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Peking University etc.. The conference held and the proceedings published function as a bridge for further exchanges between scholars in China and Brazil, Macau S.A.R. included, and will undoubtedly deepen participants’ understanding of relations between China and Brazil.
One outcome of the Historical Maps of Macau (I) project is the compilation of Macau’s first highly accurate Atlas of Ancient Worlds, namely Sailed to the East, Global Mapping of Macau (2014 Commemorative Edition) which contains 50 maps carefully selected from over 500 ancient maps of the world. This atlas not only fills a gap in Macau studies by providing mapping literature, but also proves with evidence that Macau has been the first city in China to be involved in the international urban exchange since globalization started in the 16th century, thus being the important trade hub and melting pot of East and West.
The Proceedings of International Conference on Global Mapping of Macau is another outcome of the Historical Maps of Macau (I) project. Based on maps—a special type of historical material, this book reflects a combination of “global history” and “transnational history” academic perspectives by attaching importance to cartographic techniques, contents and editions of early maps, and by providing diverse interpretations of the historical implications of maps regarding history of Macau.
The Electronic Platform of Global Archives on Macau is a progressive outcome of the Global Archives on Macau project. To provide archive basis for studying Macau history with the approach of “global history” and discussing the relevant cultural connotations, the project has systematically collected, sorted out and digitalized all archives that are created by governments and related to Macau from collections of Hong Kong’s Archives and the UK’s National Archives. The archival information has been uploaded to the electronic archives for the convenience of academic research and public education. The project team plans to further their efforts in building a relatively complete Electronic Global Archives on Macau by working with archives in countries having close ties with Macau, such as the USA, and some South Eastern Asian countries. The purpose is to build a convenient information platform so as to make contribution to the cultural construction in Macau.
Mr. Yang Qun, Chief Editor of China Social Sciences Academic Press expressed his viewpoint that Macau has played a vital role in the history of West-East cultural exchanges and MUST has joined forces with outside researchers and already produced quite a few research outcomes. With the daily widening and deepening research by MUST and more and more outcomes released, it is believed that Macau’s positioning in the global history and platform role in the Chinese-Lusophone Relations will be better understood. Macau’s past will be a positive reference for Macau’s today and future development.
