Beijing has embraced an unprecedented galaxy of Nobel Prize-winning
scientists, investment magnates and representatives from Fortune
500 enterprises during the past seven days.
The Beijing International High-Tech Industries Week, which
concluded Tuesday, is a hallmark of China's emerging potential as a
world high-tech power as well as a focus of global investment,
according to Mayor Liu Qi.
The annual event was initiated in 1998 and witnessed delegations
from 15 countries and regions at that time.
This year's event covered an exhibition area of some 10,000 square
meters and attracted more than 800,000 people from over 50
countries and regions around the world.
Organizers said that the value of contracts clinched in the past
week totaled US$8 billion.
The week-long event featured promotion of the world hottest
technologies such as bluetooth, wideband and 3G.
Jorma Ollila, chief executive officer of telecommunications giant
Nokia, said, "Nokia's China-based research and development center
caters to not only Chinese users but also the global market.
Meanwhile, 400 Nobel Prize-winners, ranking officials, high-tech
experts and renowned scholars gave lectures at 25 high-level forums
on topics such as sci-tech development in the 21st century,
influences of bio-technology on human life, Internet development,
China's entry into the World Trade Organization, and venture
capital.
The handsomely priced forum tickets did not hinder an enthusiastic
Chinese audience of 50,000. It has become common understanding for
Chinese people to focus on the increasingly close ties between
China and the other parts of the world in an age fueled by high
technology.
(People's Daily 05/16/2001)