The Forum of Think Tanks between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, jointly organized by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao SAR government, was held Thursday at the University of Macao.
The forum brought together experts from the Chinese mainland, the Macao SAR, and eight Portuguese-speaking countries -- including Angola, Brazil, and Portugal -- to deepen exchanges and build consensus on cooperation.
Participants shared their perspectives on each country’s approach to modernization, exchanged valuable experiences, and discussed future development.
Raimundo Domingos Gonçalves, an analyst at Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA), cited China as an example and emphasized the importance of experience-sharing.
"China's modernization, I think it is the best in the world. Nowadays, or in terms of geopolitical issues China has been defending what we call a global cooperation so that we can share experience or that we can share in knowledge and know-how, because without know-how we cannot think about the future, and China is not (just) the future. China is always the future," he said.
Ye Guiping, vice president of the City University of Macao, emphasized that the Chinese path to modernization challenges developing countries' dependence on Western models.
"The Chinese path to modernization is a new vision that differs from the Western model of modernization. It enriches and develops Marxism and breaks the dependency of other developing countries on Western nations' modernization models. It signals that the road to modernization is diverse and rich and offers Chinese wisdom and experience to developing countries in the Portuguese-speaking world," he said.
Speaking on the importance of collaboration in global development, Hu Weixing, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Macao, emphasized the value of mutual learning in the pursuit of modernization.
"The path to modernization for each country is different, but there are things they have in common. Our hope is for everyone to come together, build consensus, and find a path where we can all succeed and grow together, sharing our successful experiences. This is the essence of the concept of mutual learning among civilizations advocated by President Xi Jinping," said Hu.
Think tank forum between China, Portuguese-speaking countries held in Macao
Think tank forum between China, Portuguese-speaking countries held in Macao
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
