The China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD), a non-governmental policy research institute, became the first Chinese member of the International Network of Private Business Organizations (INPBO) at the latter's 2002 annual meeting.

The INPBO consists of independent policy research institutes representing corporate interests and dedicated to advising governments. It is also a forum via the Internet for discussion of

global economic issues for corporations worldwide.

The INPBO's 13 members include the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of the United States, the Institute von der Deutschen Wirtschaft (Koln) of Germany, the Committee for Economic

Development of Australia, and Japan's Keizai Doyukai.

Since its entry into the INPBO, the CIRD has been scheduling the INPBO's cooperative programs, sending invitations to Chinese entrepreneurs to attend the next annual meeting and working on research programs.

In the last 10 years, the CIRD has made a series of suggestions

on the reform of state-owned enterprises, macro-economic regulations, private economy issues, and China's entry into the World Trade Organization. Some have been included in government policies and documents.

The CIRD, established in 1991, researches economic reforms and advises on economic issues. It focuses on predictive analysis of policies and sees itself as "the think-tank of China's Reform".

(People's Daily July 27, 2002)