China's Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) government and the central government's Ministry of Science and Technology on Thursday clinched a deal to forge a joint committee of science and technology cooperation.

Jing Xiaoming and Tong Chi Kin, officials on behalf of the ministry and the MSAR government respectively, signed the agreement.

The committee, according to the deal, is to help enhance the cooperation in sectors of Chinese traditional medicine, environment protection, information technology and science publicity.

Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the MSAR, Xu Guanhua, minister of science and technology, and scores of other officials, attended the signing ceremony.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2005)