A symposium on e-commerce and paperless trading will be held in Beijing coming Friday and Saturday, the first of a series of events organized by China, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum 2001 host country.
He Ning, an official in charge of APEC affairs at China's foreign trade ministry, said at a briefing Monday on the matter that some 110 representatives from 17 of the 21 APEC members have been confirmed to participate in the symposium. Some 100 officials, scholars and entrepreneurs from China will also attend the symposium.
Sources with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) said the proposal for the upcoming symposium was raised by Australia during an APEC meeting of trade ministers last June, which was welcomed and adopted by China.
The symposium aims to enhance APEC members' understanding of e-commerce and paperless trading so as to effect a further economic development for the APEC members by taking the advantage of the new opportunities offered by e-commerce. In addition, the symposium will facilitate authorities of APEC members to make joint efforts to solve problems that might arise along with the development of e-commerce.
MOFTEC Minister Shi Guangsheng, Minister of Information Industry Wu Jichuan and Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile will give speeches at the opening ceremony.
An exhibition will also be held during the symposium to demonstrate the history and prospects of e-commerce.
(Xinhua 02/05/2001)
