Premier Congratulating Opening of Symposium on Network Economy

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said that a new global order should be established to deal with the rapid global economic restructuring brought about by the network economy.

In a message to the International Symposium on Network Economy and Economic Governance, which opened here Thursday morning, Zhu said that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, should participate in the governance of the world economy on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

All countries should take part in the establishment and maintenance of a just, rational and new international economic order, the premier noted.

Zhu said that in developing a network economy, the developing countries should adopt new policies to narrow the gap with the developed countries.

In an era of a network economy, the premier said, China and other countries, especially developing countries, face both opportunities and serious risks and challenges.

Zhu stressed that as a developing country, China should give top priority to speeding up the development of information infrastructure to boost economic growth and social advance.

In a message to the symposium, Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations called on the international community to step up efforts to deal with the challenges posed by the network economy. He said that such efforts require decisive leadership at both the national and international level.

Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the symposium.

Wen said, China holds that dialogue between the developed and developing countries should be strengthened, rules which accord with the interest of and are conducive to the economic development of all countries be made, a just and rational international economic order be built, so that different countries can benefit in the course of economic globalization and the development of the information industry.

As the biggest developing country, China will participate in the economic globalization more actively and in wider ranges, Wen said.

The two-day symposium was jointly sponsored by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, five Chinese ministries and the Beijing municipal government.

More than 300 people including government officials of more than 40 countries, officials from the United Nations, international and non-governmental organizations, enterprise leaders, and famed experts and scholars from both at home and abroad are attending the symposium.






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