APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building to Open in Beijing

The Year 2001 APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building opened Tuesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam were present and delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

The two-day event is the first time in the history of APEC that a high-level meeting is devoted to the human capacity building with the presence of heads of state.

The meeting is jointly initiated by President Jiang and the Sultan of Brunei and endorsed by other APEC leaders at the eighth APEC leaders' meeting in Brunei last November.

Government officials, business leaders, educators and scholars from 21 APEC members are expected to hold extensive discussions on challenges of the new economy, strategies and policies in human resources, and co-operation among members.

President Jiang and the Sultan of Brunei were greeted by warm applause when they entered the conference hall.

Co-chairmen of the meeting, Chinese Minister of Personnel Zhang Xuezhong and Pehin Dato Abdul Rahman Taib, minister of industry and primary products resources of Brunei Darussalam, presided over today's meeting.

In his speech, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam thanked President Jiang for his support to the APEC informal leadership meeting in Brunei last year.

"I am here today in this same spirit of regional purpose and co- operation. I also assure you of our full support and assistance when you host this year's gathering in Shanghai," he said.

He noted that his delegation has come to the meeting to address a crucial challenge to the Asia-Pacific region, namely, how the people can benefit from the opportunities now opening up for them in the New Economy.

There is nothing new about technological change. Nor about the need for human creativity and innovation. These mean we have to acquire skills and knowledge continually and quickly, he said.

The Sultan of Brunei stressed that each economy in the Asia- Pacific region must face the challenges in its own way and respond at its own pace.

"It is not an easy task. But success is vital," he declared.

A barrier before APEC is that its members are at varying stages of economic development. "To overcome this obstacle we believe that new technology has much to offer by way of helping the development process," he said.

In his speech, President Jiang said knowledge and technological innovations are playing an increasingly important role in economic and social development, and that personnel training and human capacity building are of increasingly decisive significance in the competition of overall national strength.

Jiang made a five-point proposal on promoting human capacity building in the Asia-Pacific region, namely, to adopt a new concept of development and step up human capacity building; set up a life-long education system and create a learning society; popularize information network and optimize methods of learning and self-improvement; carry forward the spirit of innovation and cultivate young talents; and intensify exchanges and cooperation under the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity.

He noted that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the training of talented people, as indicated by its strategy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education.

"China is doing much to implement its talents strategy, develop its human resources, improve the all-round quality of the laborers and gain an edge in respect of human resources so as to give forceful support to the reform and opening-up endeavor and modernization drive," Jiang said.

"Although different in the road to and model of development, countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific region share the same aspiration for development of human resources and the promotion of growth and prosperity, As long as we all act in a spirit of mutual respect and common development, seek common ground while shelving differences, and increase co-operation, we will be able to build a splendid future," he concluded.

Jiang's speech won warm applause from the audience.






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