Premier Zhu Rongji said in Beijing on March 15 that China will go ahead with its introduction of the U.S. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, while continuing to use GSM technologies.

He made the remarks at a press conference shortly after the 3rd Session of the Ninth National People's Congress concluded.

He dismissed as "untrue" reports by certain foreign news media that China would stop introducing the U.S. CDMA systems.

He said the State Council has entrusted China Unicom, a telecommunications giant, to take charge of all relevant purchasing affairs.

China Unicom has recently initiated a bidding for the purchase, which calls for still more coordination with the Ministry of Information Industry and the State Development Planning Commission,Zhu said.

The purchase issue will be settled before long, with completion of necessary procedures, he said.

China, whose mobile phone capacity ranks the second in the world, has been adopting the GSM mobile phone systems.

In response to a question on the participation of private enterprises in the telecommunications sector, the premier said, as China allows foreign investors to engage in the development of its telecommunications sector, it will naturally permit domestic private firms to enter into the field.