President Jiang made a speech entitled "Enhancing Human Capacity Building and Promoting Development and Prosperity in Asia-Pacific Region" at the APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building held in Beijing Tuesday.

He said that the Chinese government has initiated and is energetically implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education. The Chinese government advocates respect for knowledge and talents and takes the development of human resources as an important means to boost sustained economic and social development.

It is the first time that China plays host to an APEC high- level meeting on human resources.

China is persistent in giving priority to developing science and education, facilitating the integral development of human resources, reforming the personnel system and labor and employment system. And the country is working hard to create conditions and environment for all kinds of talented people to play their role, continuously improve the ethical, scientific and cultural qualities of the whole nation and upgrade the knowledge and technical skills of the laborers.

Noting that China is still a developing country, Jiang said that in terms of human resources development, China has yet to meet the requirement of its economic and social development and still trails far behind APEC members at advanced level.

However, 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, he stated.

"We stand ready to have closer exchanges and cooperation with other APEC members and work hard to contribute our share to human capacity building in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.

(Xinhua 05/15/2001)