The Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng, is in Taiwan on a three-day visit from Tuesday to Thursday, according to a statement issued by the office. Leading an official delegation to Taiwan, Mr Tam paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), Mr Chiang Pin-kung, yesterday and exchanged ideas on how to enhance exchanges between Macao and Taiwan in culture, tourism, economy and other areas. Mr Tam said the Macao SAR Government, led by Chief Executive Mr Chui Sai On, had clearly put the development of Macao-Taiwan relation into agenda and set up mechanism to open communications with different entities in Taiwan in order to strive for a better future of the Macao and Taiwan people. To better serve the 3,000-plus Macao students and citizens who work in Taiwan and further enhance exchanges between Macao and Taiwan, Mr Tam said the Government hoped that Macao could set up an office in Taiwan in the near future. Mr Chiang said the foundation was supportive of enhancing relations between Macao and Taiwan and was willing to exert its influence in support of issues such as setting up a Macao office in Taiwan and the recognition of Macao academic qualifications. Mr Chiang also said that Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao should join hands to reap from the benefits of peace and development. Members of Mr Tam’s delegation include Advisors of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Kou Chin Hung and Mr Lam Io Pak, the Acting Co-ordinator of Tertiary Education Services Office, Ms Kuok Sio Lai, and the Director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences of the University of Macau, Prof. Wang Yitao. Mr Tam, who is also the Director of Preparatory Office for Chinese Medicine Scientific and Industrial Park, had a gathering yesterday evening with some distinguished biotechnology and Chinese medicine experts in Taiwan, who were invited by Prof. Wang Yitao. These experts included the President of National Taiwan University, Prof. Lee Si-Chen, the former President of the university and current Chairman of Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry, Dr. Chen Wei-Jao, Academician of Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica, Dr. Chen Chung-Hsuan, the Dean of College of Medicine of National Taiwan University, Prof. Yang Pan-Chyr, and others. Mr Kou Chin Hung, who is the Vice Director of the preparatory office, also attended the gathering. Mr Tam and the delegation today visited Yilan County and were warmly received by its leading official, Mr Lin Tsung-Hsien. Mr Tam and Mr Lin introduced the latest development of the two places to each other and exchanged ideas on developing co-operation on culture, tourism and trade. Tomorrow Mr Tam is scheduled to attend a reception hosted by the Deputy Minister of ‘Mainland Affairs Council’, Mr Kao Charng, and will pay a courtesy on Taiwan’s education authorities and hold a symposium with its senior official, Mr Lin Tsong-ming, as well as other officials on issues of Macao tertiary education, Macao students in Taiwan and academic qualification system in Taiwan.
