Cai Mingzhao, vice minister of the State Council Information
Office, while addressing the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of
Understanding on China's joining the Development Gateway Foundation
and the press conference for launching the
China
Development Gateway on May 28, hailed the event as a new
cooperation opportunity between China and the World Bank. The full
text of his speech follows:
Distinguished President James D. Wolfensohn,
Minister Xiang,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Welcome to the State Council Information Office. As we all can see,
today's signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on
China's joining the Development Gateway Foundation and the press
conference for launching the China Development Gateway has a
far-reaching significance. This event demonstrates that in the
strategic process of promoting information technology and
digitization, the Chinese government and the World Bank have found
a new cooperation opportunity.
Like other government departments, the State Council Information
Office attaches great importance to cooperation with the World
Bank. It is believed that the enhancement of our cooperation in
sharing knowledge and experience through the Internet will not only
benefit both of us, but also be helpful in narrowing the "digital
divide" between the developed countries and the developing
countries, so as to promote the world's overall development.
The Chinese government is dedicated to promoting the application of
Internet and is willing to expand its cooperation with
international organizations in this field. While we are expecting
to learn from the world through more successful experiences via the
Internet, we also hope that the world can learn more via the
Internet about China as well, especially in terms of China's social
advancement and its economic development.
The Internet is enjoying a fast growth in China, being applied
extensively in administration, commerce, education, scientific
research and mass media. By January this year, the number of
Internet users in China had reached 33.7 million. Some institutions
say that this number is expected to reach 200 million by the year
2005. I strongly believe that the important and indispensable role
of the Internet in the economic growth both in China and in the
world as a whole will even go beyond our imagination today. Whether
it's for the Development Gateway Foundation or for the China
Development Gateway, I am sure that all the efforts we make today
will pay off in the years to come.
Thank you very much!
(china.org.cn May 28, 2002)