On the occasion of the first anniversary of China's accession to World Trade Organization, the infoDev Symposium 2002, co-sponsored by World Bank, Ministry of Finance of People's Republic of China and the People's Government of Chongqing Municipality, will be held in Chongqing on December 9 to 10, 2002. The event, entitled "Information & Knowledge for Trade & Development", focuses on discussion of the role and function of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development. The speakers include Ms. Frannie Leautier, Vice President of the World Bank Institute, H.R. Deputy Minister Jin Liqun, Ministry of Finance, H.R. Deputy Minister Ma Songde, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Mr. Huang Qifan, executive vice mayor of Chongqing Municipality and other senior government officers, senior supervisors and experts. Wang Hongju, the acting Mayor of Chongqing Municipality will deliver the opening and keynote speeches.

The information for Development program (InfoDev) is a global grant program funded by public and private donors and managed by the World Bank. Since its establishment in 1995, infoDev has promoted the use of ICT for development. It has also implemented more than 200 innovative ICT projects for economic and social development, with a special emphasis on the needs of the poor in developing economies. The infoDev Symposium is an annual event, which brings together global leaders from the academic, public and private sectors to discuss and challenge lessons learned from the use of ICT for narrowing economic and social inequalities. The Symposium takes place alternatively in a developing country and at World Bank headquarters in Washington. During its seven years of operation, the infoDev Program has accumulated a wealth of cutting-edge experience and knowledge, which have been reflected in the seven Annual Symposiums organized so far. The event is a golden opportunity to get informed with the experiences of applying information technology to accelerate the development in Asian-Pacific Region (especially in China).

The main objective of the 2002 symposium is to share knowledge and foster a dialogue relating to what leaders and decision- makers can do to benefit societies through the use of ICT. Particular emphasis will be placed on regional activities and projects on how to improve local capabilities to make significant contributions to improving health, education and bridging the digital divide. Speakers, with many years of experience in relevant areas have been selected to discuss themes including ICT in WTO's Development Agenda, e-government, distance education, rural connectivity and open source software. Further, a well-known and widely respected expert in theses areas will moderate each session. Moderators and speakers are from various countries, ensuring a healthy diversity of experiences and skills.

The 2002 Symposium will be the event where the Global Information Technology Report 2003, a joint publication of infoDev, the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, will be launched in the region. This report provides a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the diffusion and use of information technologies in 75 countries around the word. It also explores policies and patterns that overcome the digital divide.

(China.org.cn November 29, 2002)