China Attaches Importance to Information and Service Industry

The Proposal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee for Formulating the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) for National Economic and Social Development, which was released today, attached great importance to speeding up the development of the information industry and service industry.

The proposal, approved at the 5th Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee last week, noted that the promotion of application of information technology is the trend in current world economic and social development and the key link to upgrading China's industrial structure and realizing industrialization and modernization.

The proposal listed the construction of information infrastructure as a preferential task for national economic and social development and urged the promotion of structural innovation so as to ensure that the information industry strides forward.

Information technology should be used extensively in all circles of society and the use of computers and the Internet should be wide-spread, said the proposal.

Digital technology and the Internet should be used in various sectors including governmental administration and management, public service, enterprises' management and daily operations.

Various kinds of information products and Internet services should be provided to consumers and conditions should be created to promote the use of information technology in sectors such as banking, finance, taxation and trade departments. The development of e-commerce should be accelerated.

The information industry should be integrated with related cultural sector and schools of different kinds should actively promote the education of computer and Internet technology.

The construction of infrastructure for the information industry should be strengthened. High-speed, wide-band transmission networks should be developed and improved, and the construction of networks connecting consumers should be sped up. The use of the Internet should be dispersed and the integration of the networks of telecommunication, TV and computer should be promoted.

According to the proposal, the development of the software industry and integrated circuit (CI) industry should be accelerated, the production of new components, computer and Internet products, digital video and audio products should be supported, equipment manufactured with information technology and system integration ability should be promoted, and various demands from the market should be satisfied.

The information service industry, especially the Internet service industry should be actively developed, the proposal said.

Meanwhile, the proposal said that in the process of strategic readjustment of the economic structure, it is necessary to accelerate the development of the service industry and improve service quality of the sector.

It is necessary to develop modern services and restructure traditional services, the proposal said. In the future, the proportion of the service industry in the gross domestic product should be increased markedly while more labors can be employed in the sector.

The quality and technical standard of the modern service industry should be improved, especially in sectors such as information, finance, accounting, consulting and legal services.

The traditional service industry should be restructured with a modern management style and technology. Emphasis should be placed on the development of commerce and trade, transportation, and civil services. The development of chain store operations, distribution centres of commodities, diversified transportation system and on-line selling should be promoted.

The tourism industry should be actively developed, and tourism resources should be developed and protected. The community service industry should be accelerated to provide convenience for residents. The industries of entertainment, education and training, fitness and hygiene should be developed to cater to the need of consumers.

The service industry in the countryside should also be developed and its market environment be improved, said the proposal.

It called for accelerated improvement of the market, saying that the monopoly operation in the service industry should be broken down, market access should be widened and market competition should be encouraged.

Agent services should be de-linked from administration departments, reform of the circulation sector should be deepened and firms in the sector should be revitalized, the proposal said.



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