The Third Asia-Pacific Cities Information Forum was opened on Thursday in Shanghai.
In a congratulatory letter to the meeting Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo said that as the information revolution swept the world, many countries were paying close attention to the E-Government concept and have taken effective measure in this regard.
The meeting will help promote exchange and cooperation among the cities, Wu said.
Nitin Desai, United Nations deputy secretary-general addressed the opening ceremony via video.
The forum, with the theme of Erase the Digital Gulf -- E-Government and City Information, aims to help strengthen cooperation and exchanges among cities of the world.
The forum is co-sponsored by the UN Development Program, the Municipal Government of Shanghai, China's Information Industry Ministry, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
More than 800 representatives from over 90 cities in 50 countries are taking part in the forum. They will discuss such subjects as an E-government development policy and E-government security and infrastructure.
(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2002)
