With breakthroughs made in information and bioengineering technology, the hi-tech innovation, spreading and application based on knowledge has become the main force of economic development, said Minister of Science and Technology Zhu Lilan in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province Wednesday morning.
Zhu made these remarks at the opening ceremony of the World Technopolisa Association (WTA) General Assembly of 2000 and the China Nanjing High and New Technology Achievement Exposition.
As the global economic integration accelerates, Zhu continued, science and technology develop rapidly. The influence of high technology has gone far beyond the boundaries of cities and countries, which helps widen international scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges.
The Chinese government pays much attention to such cooperation between countries or cities, Zhu added. In this way, the commercialization and industrialization of high and new technology achievements can be quickened.
Nanjing High and New Technology Achievement Exposition attracted 580 hi-tech enterprises, 67 scientific research institutes, 30 universities and 20 venture capital enterprises, with 2,500 scientific and technological achievements on display, covering such fields as electronic information, bioengineering, new materials, integrity of light, electricity and machinery, energy saving, environment protection and agricultural production, and over 16,000 others to be traded through Internet. More than 270 contracts are expected to be signed at the exposition.
Ji Yunshi, governor of Jiangsu Province, said the exposition would further promote international economic and scientific and technological cooperation, step up the scientific and technological innovation and technology transfer, thereby promoting the development of high and new technology in Jiangsu and whole China.
The aim of WTA is to promote scientific and technological exchanges and technology transfer, thereby pushing forward the development of hi-tech industries and economic development. WTA now has 27 member cities from 12 countries, including Austin and Phoenix of the United States, Calgary and Ottawa of Canada, Uppsala of Sweden, Brisbane and Ipswich of Australia and Daejeon of the Republic of Korea.
This is the second general assembly held by WTA. Its main topic is "high and new technological industries stepping into the 21st century." The first assembly was held in Daejeon of the Republic of Korea.
(CIIC 10/19/2000)
