Visiting Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Kofi Annan
addressed a symposium in Beijing Monday, encouraging Chinese
enterprises to shoulder their social responsibility and make the
world a fairer and safer place. The UN chief set forth the ideas of
Global Compact to more than 30 Chinese entrepreneurs and had an
exchange of views with them on the role of business community in
securing world peace and development.
Annan recognized Chinese enterprises' efforts in helping
eliminate poverty and illiteracy and in boosting international
cooperation.
Initiated by Annan at the World Economic Forum in January 1999
and formally established one year later, the Global Compact aims to
team up business and labor leaders to make the world more stable
and secure.
Over the past four years, the Compact has encompassed more than
1,500 businesses from 70 countries. It also includes the major
international labor federations, representing more than 150 million
workers worldwide.
By June, a total of 34 Chinese enterprises, including China
Petrochemical, the Shanghai Baogang Steel Group and Haier have
joined the compact.
(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2004)