CE meets Macao students in Portugal, reaffirming support for their personal development

MACAU, April 19 - The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, said the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government supports as always, the studies and development of Macao students in Portugal, and will continuously improve services and support for Macao students overseas. He hoped that upon completing their studies, the students will return to Macao in order fully to utilise their talents, jointly contributing their wisdom and strength to the development of the nation and the MSAR.

On Saturday (18 April) evening local time, Mr Sam met Macao students studying in Portugal, and had exchanges with them. He had arrived in Lisbon on Saturday morning, for the first stop of a four-nation European tour.

Approximately 110 Macao students studying in Portugal participated in the exchanges. Most of them are majoring either in law, translation, Portuguese language studies, or management. Other disciplines being studied include sports science, medicine, artificial intelligence and data science, mechanical engineering, economics, and architecture.

Mr Sam said he shared much common ground with the students present, as he had previously travelled from Macao to Portugal to pursue further studies, much like them.

Macao and Portugal share profound historical ties, with marks of mutual integration in areas such as language, culture, law, and architecture. Those things have become Macao’s signature characteristics and unique advantages. For the students, studying in Portugal is not merely a personal educational choice, but also a continuation of the deep ties and friendship between Macao and Portugal. Such ties create a responsibility: the inheritance of the past and the forging of the future.

In the exchange session, the Chief Executive noted that this year marks the beginning of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. The MSAR Government is systematically compiling the Third Five-Year Development Plan for Economic and Social Development of the MSAR, an important focus being the construction of “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” and “One Highland”.

Within this framework, people are the key pillar of the commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, specifically, versatile, talented people who are proficient in both languages, familiar with both cultures, and equipped with professional skills and a global perspective.

From the development of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao); to the industrial synergy in the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and further to fostering people-to-people ties under the “Belt and Road” initiative; the contributions of bilingual professionals are indispensable.

Mr Sam mentioned that President Xi Jinping has always cared deeply for Macao’s young people, having encouraged them by stating that young people are the hope and future of Macao, acting as a vital force in building both Macao and the nation. The President hopes that young people will keep Macao and the motherland in their hearts, aim high while remaining grounded, and serve as competent builders and successors of the “One country, two systems” principle, allowing their youth to shine brightly within the vast arena set Portugal in ting for the building of a strong nation and a beautiful Macao.

President Xi also expressed his expectation that Macao’s young people will carry forward the fine tradition of loving the country and Macao, and proactively integrate into and serve overall national development. President Xi firmly believes that Macao’s young people will be a generation of promise and pride, emerging as pillars of the nation and Macao, Mr Sam noted.

During the session, Mr Sam outlined to the students three expectations of them. First, is to focus on their studies, lay a solid foundation, and make good use of the advantages of being in Portugal to enhance their cross-cultural communication skills. Second, is to broaden their horizons, play the role of a bridge, and tell the “China story” and “Macao story” well to students from all over the world. Third, is to maintain deep affection for their nation and Macao, returning to Macao to apply fully their talents upon completion of their studies.

He also gave encouragement to the students, saying that studying abroad is an incredibly precious life experience. While bringing the joy of achievement, it inevitably comes with difficulties and loneliness. However, he urged them to remember that the motherland and Macao are their strongest backers, and added that the MSAR Government will strengthen ties with them and take an interest in their development.

Student representative Ms Cheong Man Kei expressed thanks for the motherland’s and the MSAR Government’s consistent emphasis on, and support for, education. She also expressed gratitude for the MSAR Government’s subsidy schemes, which enable students from various family backgrounds to see the world, acquire advanced knowledge, and broaden their international horizons.

She stated that studying and living in Portugal not only improved language proficiency but also allowed for deeper integration into the local culture, enabling students to experience the unique advantages of a Chinese-Portuguese bilingual and bicultural background. As a young person from Macao, she affirmed her commitment to bearing in mind the expectations on her: transforming the bilingual advantage into a force for serving the nation, and actively assisting Macao in playing its role as a “precise connector” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. She pledged to contribute her youth and wisdom to the development of the nation and Macao, and to passing down Chinese-Portuguese friendship.

Upon returning to Macao after graduation, she intended to utilise her professional expertise and bilingual skills in Chinese and Portuguese to integrate into the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, proactively align with national strategic needs, and serve both the nation and Macao.

During the exchange, several students shared their experiences of living and studying in Portugal, and expressed their thoughts regarding their future development prospects once they return to Macao. Some students explicitly stated their desire to help Macao continue fully to leverage its function as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. They expressed great willingness to dedicate themselves to the development of the Greater Bay Area, and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, thereby contributing to Macao’s better integration into, and service to, overall national development.

In his response, Mr Sam said he noted from the conversation that students nowadays possessed broader horizons and stronger ambitions for their future prospects. He encouraged them to seize the environmental advantages of studying in Portugal to improve their language skills, stressing the importance of not only mastering their own major subjects but also acquiring interdisciplinary knowledge to meet the demands of rapid social development.

Mr Sam said he was pleased to see many students expressing interest in taking part in the development of the Greater Bay Area and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. He highlighted that the MSAR Government has introduced a series of supportive policies and measures for Macao’s young people to integrate into national development. It will continue to create better conditions in the future, actively supporting them to build their careers in the Greater Bay Area and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, in order fully to utilise their talents across various fields.

Also in attendance were: the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms O Lam; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak; the Rector of the University of Macau, Mr Song Yonghua; the Director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau, Mr Kong Chi Meng; and the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Ms Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos.

In the afternoon, prior to the exchanges with the students, Mr Sam attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition “Reflections of a Sea of Mirrors: 500 Years of Exchange between Chinese and Western Civilisations in Macao”. The exhibition has been co-organised by the MSAR’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, and the Macau Scientific and Cultural Centre in Portugal. Mr Sam and other guests toured the exhibition, enjoying various interpretations related to intangible cultural heritage.