January 28, 1999
Ladies and gentlemen:It is my pleasure to give you a brief introduction to China Hi-tech Fair and its main characteristics.
New and high technology will be the distinguishing feature of the Fair, and since the Fair aims to be an important international event, as well as influential in China itself, a large number of companies including hi-tech enterprises from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, multi-nationals, institutes of higher learning and scientific research institutions will be invited to participate.
As for its content, the Fair is designed to address all possible factors of the hi-tech sector.Therefore, it will include an information exchange, a project promotion and financial support component, a hi-tech achievements trade and a product exhibition.
In order to support trade, the Fair will function in innovative and creative new ways, that is to link transaction of hi-tech achievements with venture capital mechanism, to integrate hi-tech achievements trade with hi-tech products exhibition and trade, and to support both during the Fair dates and in the days to follow. A detailed introduction is as follows:
The trade of hi-tech achievements will be encouraged among key institutes of higher learning, scientific research institutions, enterprises and multi-nationals with their projects presenting excellent prospects of implementation. State technological and engineering projects, including the 863 Plan, the Key Research Plan, the Torch Plan and the Technology Proliferation Plan will also participate. We will invite firms with demand for high technology, venture funds and investment companies for the funding of the projects, and relevant experts, agencies and investment banks to make project evaluations and offer financial packagings.
In the aspect of hi-tech products exhibition, we, together with IDG of the United States will hold COMNET, an international exhibition of computers, communications and networks. Development and production companies of computers, communications and networks from home and abroad will participate in the exhibition. Computer manufacturers from Hong Kong and Taiwan will also be invited.
To aid investment promotion, we will invite governments at provincial and municipal levels in China to take part in the Fair with their local hi-tech products and projects, and to encourage them to take full advantage of the Fair to enhance the investment potential for their respective regions and the development of their local economy and technologies.
To encourage an open information exchange, we will invite domestic and overseas scholars, experts and entrepreneurs to give talks on present and future developments in some technical fields. We will also invite experts in finance, securities and venture investment to give introductions to the venture investment and its operation.
The preparations for the Fair are already well under way. The Exhibition Hall which occupies an area of 54,000 square meters is under construction and the registration for the 1,700 trade booths has begun. With the theme song, the emblem and the mascot already selected , the whole preparation work is on the countdown to completion.