The UK-China ICT Week, the largest information and communication technology (ICT) event ever organized by the British and Chinese governments, opened in Shenzhen alongside in other cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou on Monday, Shenzhen Daily reported Tuesday.

Led by British e-Commerce Minister Stephen Timms, the largest ever group of UK high tech ICT companies will include representatives from more than 100 renowned English ICT companies and the first ever British software delegation to China.

During the five-day event, they will interact with their Chinese counterparts to explore new ways of stimulating ICT trade and investment between the UK and China, and to discuss current policy issues.

The ICT Week is estimated to bring several thousands high-level commercial and government experts in the Chinese cities, including more than 300 high-level Chinese enterprise officers.

The ICT Week will focus on six themes such as communicationsinfrastructure, mobile software and applications, electronic systems design, optoelectronics and display and vertical software. The events include product demonstrations and major announcements from cutting-edge UK companies such as Marconi, ARM, Chloride Power and picoChip. There will also be a policy seminar, media briefings and a business forum.

Some leading Chinese ICT companies have already chosen to establish their European Headquarters in the UK, including China Telecom and Shenzhen-based Huawei and ZTE.

"We expect to collaborate with Chinese ICT companies by means of joint venture or technology transfer. We may supply science or components to manufacturers and help them to market in the European countries and even in the world," said an officer with Guangzhou-based British Consulate-General at a news briefing held at the Wuzhou Guesthouse Monday.

"The event is resulted from the strong push and will form the business field of Britain to seek collaboration with China, which want to develop their science and technologies into real products," said an officer with China-Britain Business Council.

(Shenzhen Daily September 7, 2004)