China will hold the 11th International Week of Science and Peace from November 7 to 14 in a bid to promote scientific development and world peace.

"Enhancing cooperation and safeguarding peace are the need of China and the world and are desired by everyone in China and in the world," Chen Jifeng, a senior member of the organizing committee of the International Week, said today at a news briefing.

In December 1988, the United Nations 43rd General Assembly named the week including November 11 the International Week of Science and Peace.

Every country was urged to promote science and technology and help push forward the advancement of mankind.

In the past 10 years, China has organized more than 600 related activities involving over 90 million Chinese participants.

This year's activities will feature symposia on scientific development, revitalizing Chinese nation, safeguarding peace, population and environment and sustainable social development, health and people's quality, and education for youth in the coming century.

"Popularization of scientific knowledge among the people is extremely important to modern society," Chen said.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the China Association for Science and Technology, and 41 other groups, the week will provide visitors with 28 special forums and the eight other special activities, including meetings between scientists and youth, the present situation and future of the prevention and control of AIDS, and a program of the mankind gene group, etc. (Xinhua)

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Worldwide PC Monitor Shipments to Hit 100 Million in 1999 -- Report

PC monitor shipments are expected to hit nearly 100 million units in 1999 and jump to 150 million by 2003, with an annual growth rate of 10 percent.

Revenues will increase at an annual 16 percent growth rate, multiplying from 33.4 billion US dollars this year to almost 60 billion dollars by 2003, US market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) reported November 1.

Both new developments in flat cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology as well as the increasing growth of flat-panel thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (LCD) are bringing new vim and vigor to the worldwide PC monitor business, IDC said.

Monitor revenues are increasing faster than shipments because unlike most other PC-related categories, IDC explained, average selling prices for monitors are rising. This development is due to the growing interest in larger, more expensive CRT monitors and the increasing penetration of LCD monitors into the overall market mix.

Despite high expectations for LCD monitors, IDC said, tube-based CRT monitors are expected to remain as the industry's workhorse, commanding just more than 85 percent of the total monitor market even in 2003.

However, LCDs are still having an enormous impact on the industry, IDC said, because they are both driving forward impressive improvements in flat CRT designs and focusing more attention on a computer system's monitor. In fact, according to IDC, monitors are expected to increase from 20 percent of a total computer system's cost to nearly 37 percent between 1993 and 2003, which has dramatic implications for both PCs and displays. (Xinhua)