The first China-Portugal Forum on Coastal Environment and Innovative Technology for Sustainable Development (CPCET 2023), hosted by Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.), co-organized by Sands China Ltd., funded by the Education Development Fund of the Macao SAR Government, and supported by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT), the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research, and the Pearl River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, successfully opened in the Sicily Meeting Room of Venetian Macau on March 28th, 2023. After the opening ceremony, keynote lectures, conferences, and field visits were held from the 28th to the 31st of March.
On-site at the forum
Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, Vice-Chancellor and President of M.U.S.T., delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony. He stated that he was deeply impressed by the recent developments in R&D related to coastal environment, blue ocean economy, AI, and entrepreneurship when he visited several well-known universities in Portugal in 2022. Therefore, the organization of this forum allows further exploration of scientific research and innovation and entrepreneurship technologies for climate change adaptation. The Macau Environmental Research Institute (MERI) and the newly launched National Observation and Research Station of Coastal Ecological Environments in Macao (M.U.S.T.) are actively undertaking the responsibility of climate change research and key data observation and collection. M.U.S.T. is also making significant investments and cooperating with other countries and regions. Many innovations and entrepreneurship related to climate change and water were presented during this forum.
Welcome speech delivered by Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, Vice-Chancellor and President of M.U.S.T.
The forum has specially invited General Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira, the 127th Governor of Macao, to deliver an opening speech. General Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira pointed out that M.U.S.T., as a key university designated by the central government for the development of science and technology in the Greater Bay Area, has actively fulfilled its academic responsibilities while providing an important platform of communication for making significant contributions to climate change issues, social construction, political cooperation, and social development, whilst offering suggestions and advice to help the international community and regions to achieve sustainable development.
Opening speech delivered by General Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, stated that Macao, as an important intersection of the dual circulation of domestic and foreign markets, is actively integrating into the national innovation system, leveraging the excellent scientific research strength of the local universities, promoting the steady development of industry-university research cooperation, and facilitating scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between China and Lusophone countries. This forum has gathered experts and scholars from various places to focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, coastal environmental protection, and other areas. In the future, the Macao SAR Government will further strengthen its platform role and linkage with Lusophone countries.
Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government
Professor Fátima Montemor, Vice-President of Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, stated that this forum will build a stronger corporation between Chinese and Portuguese academic institutions. In key areas such as marine resource protection, the University of Lisbon and M.U.S.T. are science and technology top leaders ready to take on the challenges of urgent issues such as climate change, and have the ability to cultivate excellent manpower such as scientists, entrepreneurs, managers, and other professionals.
Professor Fátima Montemor, Vice-President of Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon
Dr. Helena Alegre, Head of the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) stated that as an important national research institution in Portugal, LNEC has a mission to be on the front line of research and innovation in the field of civil engineering. This forum is a rare and great opportunity for Portuguese scholars to get to know and cooperate with scientific research and enterprise personnel from China, Singapore, and other countries and regions. She believes that there will be more collaborations in the future.
Dr. Helena Alegre, Head of the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC)
Professor Peter Goodwin, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, shared during his speech online some examples of serious environmental crises caused by climate change, such as microplastic pollution and water eutrophication. He pointed out that people are facing a similar dilemma as with the COVID-19 pandemic, and we need to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation in the world. This forum provides a unique opportunity to establish a vision and a path forward to make Macao and the Greater Bay Area a model for coastal resilience and ecosystem recovery.
Professor Peter Goodwin, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
To celebrate the 23rd anniversary of M.U.S.T., the University held the Inauguration Ceremony of the Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources before the forum. Professor Jing Peng, Secretary General of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR) delivered a speech for the unveiling of the laboratory in video. The Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources is a cross-border key laboratory jointly established by the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research and M.U.S.T. with the support of the national and Macao SAR governments. Digital twin technology, an important strategic technology in China, covers many disciplines such as water resources and hydrology. It makes full use of information technologies such as cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things to provide panoramic perception, digital scenarios, precise simulation, intelligent decision-making, and intelligent control for basins. The Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources will provide solid scientific and technological support for studying the impact of climate change on water resources, flood control, and storm surge protection.
Group photo of the Inauguration Ceremony of Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources (From left: Professor Jiahong Liu, Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, Mr. Wanhei Chan, Ms. Jimin Chen, Secretary-General of M.U.S.T. Council, and Professor Liuqian Ding)
Mr. Wan Hei Chan, President of the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) and representative of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, Vice-Chancellor and President of M.U.S.T.; Ms. Jimin Chen, Secretary-General of M.U.S.T. Council; Professor Liuqian Ding, Vice Dean of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research; and Professor Jiahong Liu, Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources, officially unveiled the Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources.
As part of the anniversary series of activities, M.U.S.T. also signed two memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the City University of Hong Kong and the Hohai University at the forum site. The first MOU was signed by the National Observation and Research Station of Coastal Ecological Environments in Macao (M.U.S.T.) and the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution of the City University of Hong Kong. Professor Yibing Ma and Professor Kenneth Leung, respectively directors of the research units, introduced the station and laboratory during their speeches and stated that both sides can use their research advantages in the field of marine and coastal zone ecological environment, hoping to integrate their own disciplinary strengths and resource advantages to carry out innovative research in related fields, expanding the frontier of science and technology, promote mutual research and development in related scientific fields, and bring benefits to the higher education and scientific research development of the Greater Bay Area. Under the witness of Mr. Wanhei Chan, President of the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) and representative of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Carlos Roberto Xavier, Head of the Department of Tertiary Education of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, President of M.U.S.T.; Ms. Chen Jimin, Secretary-General of the M.U.S.T. Council; Chair Professor Zhihong Jiang Zhi, Vice President of M.U.S.T.; and other leaders and guests, Professor Yibing Ma and Professor Kenneth Leung signed the MOU.
Professor Yibing Ma and Professor Kenneth Leung (center right and left, respectively) signed the agreement and took a group photo at the scene under the witness of Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE and Mr. Wanhei Chan (third left and right, respectively), and other representatives and guest of M.U.S.T.
The second MOU signing ceremony celebrates the high-level cooperation framework between Macau University of Science and Technology and Hohai University. Professor Hongwu Tang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hohai University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said in his speech that M.U.S.T. and Hohai University have a long tradition of cooperation. Through this MOU, it is believed that the two universities will be deeply integrated into the development of the Greater Bay Area and jointly promote development. The water science and technology in the Greater Bay Area has become a model of in-depth cooperation between the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao, whilst helping the Greater Bay Area become an international technological innovation center with global influence. Witnessed by Mr. Wanhei Chan, President of the FDCT and representative of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Tai Kin Ip, Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Carlos Roberto Xavier, Head of the Department of Tertiary Education of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Ms. Jimin Chen, Secretary-General of the M.U.S.T. Council; Chair Professor Paul Kwong Hang Tan, Vice President of M.U.S.T.; Professor Yiping Li, Director of the International Cooperation Office of Hohai University; and other guests, Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE and Professor Hongwu Tang signed the MOU.
Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE and Professor Hongwu Tang (center right and left, respectively) signed the agreement and took a group photo at the scene under the witness of Mr. Tai Kin Ip and Mr. Wanhei Chan (third left and right, respectively) witnessed the signing ceremony with a group of guests
After the inauguration ceremony and the signing of MOUs, the China-Portugal Forum on Coastal Environment and Innovative Technology for Sustainable Development (CPCET 2023) officially began. Keynote academic reports were given by authoritative scholars from well-known universities and academic institutions in Portugal and Lusophone countries, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and other regions, as well as expert representatives from the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), the Macao SAR Government, the Pearl River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources (PRWRC), and others.
The first invited report was given by Professor Arlindo Oliveira, President of INESC and former President of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Lisbon, Portugal. Professor Oliveira introduced a novel convolutional neural network algorithm based on the STConvSchS framework, which has high accuracy and applicability and can play a critical role in climate and environmental modeling and prediction.
Professor Arlindo Oliveira
Professor Dake Chen, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, pointed out that the Greater Bay Area is at the forefront of China’s economic growth. The Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) system that is currently being established in the Greater Bay Area will serve as a powerful tool for marine monitoring, prediction, and management. It can play a key role in regional disaster prevention, environmental protection, and sustainable development.
Professor Dake Chen
Professor Hongwu Tang, Academician CAE, and President and Council Chair of Hohai University, China, introduced some key technologies developed by the university for systematic management of coastal zones, including building mathematical models of river network hydrodynamics, river network multi-objective governance technologies, etc. He also showed some achievements in ecological seawall construction and the development of the intelligent platform for flood and tide controls in the Nansha District of Guangzhou.
Professor Hongwu Tang
