The 3rd World Internet Conference Opens President Liu Liang of M.U.S.T. Attended the Conference and Gave a Speech

President Liu Liang of M.U.S.T. spoke at the Forum

The 3rd World Internet Conference was held in WuZhen, Zhe Jiang Province, from November 16 to 18, 2016; President of Macau University of Science and Technology, Chair Professor Liu Liang, and Administrative Officer of the President’s Office, Mr. Kwong Ying Wa attended the Conference; President Liu Liang gave a speech titled “Information Technology Speeds up the Integration of Macau Into the ‘Belt and Road’ Strategy”, at the “‘Belt and Road’ Information Technology Forum”, which was held on the 17th of November.

While giving the speech, President Liu Liang noted that, to stand in line with the “Belt and Road” strategy, Macau must seize opportunities, properly position itself, fully parlay the advantages afforded by information technology at the Internet era, and build itself into an information-driven smart Macau. Since 2013, the Central Government has been making proactive efforts in advocating the “Belt and Road” strategy and constructing the modern version of “Silk Road Economy Belt” and the “21st Century Sea Silk Road”. Having the motherland on its back and its eyes on the local, Macau has walked past 17 good years in fulfilling the “One Country two Systems” policy and achieved great success; it has identified as its positioning for development to build “World Tourism Leisure Center” and to construct “China-Lusophone Countries Trade Cooperation Services Platform”, which has been incorporated into the national “13th Five-Year Plan”. Since Macau opened border to the outside, it has always been an important port and link of the sea silk road, a place for integration of Lingnan culture and Portuguese culture, a place with unique historic, geographic, cultural and economic advantages, and an important point of connection for Macau to fit in and have a fair share in the country’s national stride of “One Belt One Road” and developing the 21st Sea Silk Road. What’s more, for more than four hundred years, cultures of all roots meet and communicate at this piece of land that’s called Macau, which has fostered the unique humanistic qualities that are embedded in this culture – “equality, openness, freedom, and inclusiveness”. Such spiritual qualities reflect and complement the cultural equality and cultural inclusiveness, which is promoted by the “Belt and Road” strategy.

President Liu further remarked that the “Belt and Road” strategy is going to make available various new opportunities for Macau in terms of policy, infrastructure, funding, and more extensive international cooperation; Macau’s economy in the future will focus on the “Tourism +” concept, basing on tourism, integrating and facilitating development of other industries, fulfilling the transformational upgrade for Macau’s economy, and achieving adequate diversified sustainable development. He believes that Macau has great potential in becoming the bellwether for tourism economy development of south China and the meeting point and important link for Chinese cultural communication, economic exchanges, and friendship and trust along the “Belt and Road”.

President Liu Liang also pointed out that information technology would give great momentum to the construction of China-Lusophone Countries Trade and Finance Services Platform and to the continuous and fast development of trade between China and the Lusophone countries; the Macau S.A.R. Government has been making active efforts in developing information technology. With the support of the Central Government, the Macau S.A.R. Government has taken new measures with respect to education and human resources, China-Portugal cooperation development fund, and promotion of economic trade and investment, so as to advance trade development between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.

He further emphasized that under the “Belt and Road” strategy, to materialize the developmental positioning of Macau’s “one center” and “one platform”, there is an urgent need for efforts to be made in introducing digitalization of political affairs so as to improve the overall efficiency of the governmental services platforms. The Macau S.A.R. Government is now taking advantage of the fast development of the Internet and information technology to strengthen the awareness of service-based orientation and provide “one-stop” services for businessmen, tourists, and the general public. As the Internet and information technology gets upgraded, optimized, and increasingly popularized in Macau, Macau will pick up its pace in fitting in the national “Belt and Road” development strategy and make greater contributions for the fast development and progresses of the country and of Macau.