Dubbed China's silicon valley, Beijing's Zhongguancun hi-tech park plans to invest 30 million yuan (US$3.62 million) to build a base for digital research and development, according to the park's administration committee.

Promoting digital industry and aiding related enterprises are listed as key projects in the development schedule of the government-run hi-tech park.

"In recent years, digital appliances such as palmtop computers,cellphones and digital cameras have gained popularity in China," said Xu Feng, a technical supervisor of the base.

"One of our plans to promote digital products is to encourage the use of High Definition Television (HDTV)," Xu said.

"However, HDTV works to its full potential only if it is showed with high definition TV programs tailored for it. And China has very limited such programs, " Xu said.

Therefore, the base plans to distribute some 2,000 discs of high definition TV programs and films for free to promote the technology.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2004)