On September 16, 2026, the Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of PUMCH (hereinafter referred to as the Macao Union Hospital) held Opening Ceremony of the Healthcare Forum & 2nd Anniversary Celebration. As the first major healthcare cooperation initiative between the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Chinese mainland under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, the Macao Union Hospital helps vigorously advance the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area strategy and significantly improves public well-being in the Macao SAR.

Since officially opening its doors on September 16, 2024, the Macao Union Hospital has spent the past two years bolstering the local public healthcare network, safeguarding the well-being of Macao residents, energizing regional medical development, and significantly elevating Macao's clinical capacity for complex and critical care.

The ceremony was co-officiated by: O Lam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, representing the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR; Bian Lixin, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Ai Yiping, Director of the Department of Personnel and Department of Social Development of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Academician Zhao Yupei, Honorary President of PUMCH; Academician Zhou Jian, President of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Zhang Shuyang, President of PUMCH; He Xiang, Secretary General of the Chinese Medical Association; Li Wei, Deputy Director General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the National Health Commission (NHC); Lo Iek Long, Director of the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; and Liu Zhengyin, Director of the Macao Union Hospital. During the ceremony, the official establishment of the Macao Union Hospital’s "Panel of Specially Invited Experts" was announced.

In her address, Secretary O Lam commended the Macao Union Hospital as a landmark healthcare initiative for the public good, exemplifying the success of the "One Country, Two Systems" framework. Since beginning trial operations in late 2023, the Macao Union Hospital has steadily advanced under the strong support of the Central Government and the guidance of the NHC. The Macao SAR Government has defined three strategic pillars for it: optimizing public healthcare, expanding high-end medical services, and nurturing local talent. To that end, Secretary O Lam outlined three priorities: First, adapt dynamically to local public healthcare needs by optimizing patient diversion and deepening collaboration with Conde de S. Januário Hospital and other institutions. By cultivating complementary strengths and offering differentiated services, the Macao Union Hospital should advance steadily toward the goal of taking on 25% of Macao's public healthcare volume by late 2027. Second, harness PUMCH’s clinical expertise, advanced technology, and talent pool to elevate local care for complex, critical, and specialized conditions. In parallel, the Macao Union Hospital should accelerate local talent training, expand international medical services, and promote "healthcare + tourism" to drive higher quality and value across the health sector. Third, actively explore establishing a medical research center in Macao to seamlessly integrate clinical care, education, and research. This initiative will strengthen local talent pipelines and build a research and translation platform rooted in the Greater Bay Area and connected to the world, amplifying Macao’s international standing in medical research.  

▲Speech by Secretary O Lam

Academician Zhao Yupei referred to President Xi Jinping’s landmark article “Accelerating the Building of a Healthy China” published in the journal Qiushi, in which he underscored the commitment to putting people and their lives first while advancing healthcare with Chinese characteristics. Every leap achieved by the Macao Union Hospital represents a tangible step toward realizing the Healthy China 2035 strategy. From initial blueprint to daily operations, and from early exploration to high-quality development, the Macao Union Hospital has always benefited from the steadfast leadership and unwavering support of both the Central Government and the Macao SAR Government. The unique institutional advantages of "One Country, Two Systems" have opened vast horizons for deep medical synergy between Beijing and Macao. Backed by its Panel of Specially Invited Experts, the Macao Union Hospital will conduct telemedicine consultations, grand rounds, and multidisciplinary team (MDT) case discussions—rapidly honing the clinical competencies of local healthcare teams and fulfilling the long-held public vision of "managing major diseases locally in Macao."

▲Address by Academician Zhao Yupei

President Zhang Shuyang stated that over the past two years, PUMCH has stayed true to its mission by aligning national priorities, Macao’s aspirations, and PUMCH’s clinical strengths, steadily guiding the Macao Union Hospital into a new era of high-quality development. The Macao Union Hospital has pioneered a host of advanced procedures in Macao, such as fourth-generation da Vinci robotic pancreatic surgeries. It has also established Macao’s largest radiation therapy center, the first public nuclear medicine department in Macao, and a new assisted reproduction center, and a dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) opened this June. Managing major diseases locally has transformed from an aspiration into a tangible reality for Macao residents, standing as a vivid testament to the power of "One Country, Two Systems" in healthcare. President Zhang expressed her hope that the Macao Union Hospital will not only deliver premier local medical care, but also proactively integrate into the national development framework. By aligning closely with Macao’s "1+4" strategy for appropriate economic diversification, the Macao Union Hospital is poised to serve both as a beacon of hope for local residents and a premier global calling card for Chinese medicine.

▲Address by President Zhang Shuyang

During the opening ceremony, the Macao Union Hospital officially inaugurated its "Panel of Specially Invited Experts."

▲Left: Secretary O Lam presented certificates of appointment to Academician Zhou Jian of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and Wu Xinjuan, Director of the Nursing Committee of PUMCH

Right: President Zhang Shuyang presented certificates of appointment to Zhang Wenhong, Director of the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases (Shanghai) and Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, and Yang Aiming, Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at PUMCH

▲Left: Director Lo Iek Long presented certificates of appointment to Song Hongmei, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at PUMCH, and Wang Qian, Deputy Director of the Department of Rheumatology at PUMCH

Right: Director Liu Zhengyin presented certificates of appointment to Leng Xiaomei, Chief Physician in the Department of Rheumatology at PUMCH, and Xu Qiang, Deputy Director of the Department of General Surgery at PUMCH

In the keynote session, Academician Zhou Jian, President of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, delivered an address entitled "Driving High-Quality Hospital Development: Discipline Building, Talent Cultivation, and Research Translation." Professor Zhang Wenhong, Director of the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases (Shanghai) and Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, followed with a keynote on "Strengthening Infection Defense and Public Health Resilience in International Medical Centers." Liu Xiaohui, Deputy Director of the Macao Union Hospital, concluded the keynote session with summary remarks. The event also featured four breakout sessions covering the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases, translational research on rare diseases, innovation in specialized nursing, and clinical frontiers, and attending experts delivered insightful presentations on these topics.

The event brought together more than 500 attendees, including representatives from the Macao SAR Government departments, members of the Strategic Development Committee and Supervisory Board of the Macao Union Hospital, PUMCH leadership and PUMCH experts seconded to Macao, representatives from financial sectors, integrated resort and leisure enterprises, and associations, as well as healthcare and administrative personnel from the Macao Union Hospital, invited experts, speakers, and local medical professionals.

Written by and pictures courtesy of the Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of PUMCH

Edited by Gan Dingzhu and Chen Xiao

Chief Editor Duan Wenli

Supervised by Wu Peixin