He made the remarks at a speech delivered at the Year 2001 APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building that opened Tuesday in Beijing.

China has been adhering to the guiding principle of respecting knowledge and talents and pursuing the strategy of revitalizing the country through science, technology and education since it launched the reform and opening-up drive in late 1970s, the minister said.

"As a result, we are witnessing unprecedented economic prosperity, social harmony and progress, and growing development in human resources," he said.

The minister briefed APEC delegates on China's practices in human capacity building.

One of the measures adopted by China is the integration of education, science and technology and talents into national development strategy as the driving force behind and guarantee of social and economic development.

Thanks to increased input to education and training, the quality of China's workforce has been greatly improved and personnel structure continuously optimized, the minister said.

China's recently adopted outline of the 10th five-year plan for national economic and social development also take training, attracting and making best use of talents as a task of strategic importance.

China will promote overall human resource development against the backdrop of economic restructuring. For example, the training of management personnel for new and hi-tech enterprises and other urgently needed talents will be encouraged. Measures have also been taken to raise the proportion of people working in the tertiary industry.

The country will also "intensify institutional reform and create a sound environment for talents to stand out and display their ability," said the minister.

Moves in this aspect include reforming the personnel management and recruitment systems as well as the income distribution system.

China will also open wider to the outside world and promote international exchanges on human resources development, Zhang said.

The government will encourage co-operation between different regions and departments and seek new ways of co-operation such as university-enterprise and university-municipality co-operation, he added.

(People's Daily 05/15/2001)