The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Macao SAR Government signed the Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the China Association for Science and Technology in 2018 to set up the Committee for Science and Technology Exchange and Cooperation between the China Association for Science and Technology and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government to support the development of science and technology in Macao and promote the exchange between the Mainland and Macao in science popularization, innovation and entrepreneurship, talents, and the academic field. The Macao side’s leading department has been changed to the DSEDT after the latter being reorganized and vested with the new function of promoting technology and innovation development in 2021, while the work with CAST on strengthening the cooperation between the two sides continues. 

The 4th annual meeting of the Committee for Science and Technology Exchange and Cooperation between CAST and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government was held in Beijing in July 2023 to introduce the work of the committee in 2023 and 2024, as well as to discuss the working mechanism and future work plans of the committee. The Mainland representatives attending this meeting included the subject officers of, among others, the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of CAST; the China Science and Technology Museum; and the China Centre for International Science and Technology Exchange. The Macao-side attendees included representatives from, among others, the DSEDT; the Education and Youth Development Bureau; the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute; the Science and Technology Development Fund; the University of Macau; the Macau University of Science and Technology; the Association for Promotion of Science and Technology of Macau; and the Macao Science Center. Representatives from the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region also sat in on the meeting.