In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, China's Minister of Personnel Zhang Xuezhong gave a detailed account of the background, theme and role of the convention as well as the preparation for the meeting by the Chinese government.

Zhang, who will co-chair the meeting with Minister of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei, said the meeting, the first of its kind in APEC history, will take on the theme as "New Economy, New Strategy: Cooperation and Innovation to Build Human Capacity for Common Prosperity."

Participants are expected to propose new strategies for human capacity building and establishing a cooperative relationship among governments, enterprises and academic circle, Zhang noted.

Thanks to its high level, brand new topics and large scale, the convention has drawn widespread positive response among the 21 APEC members and the world at large, Zhang said.

The meeting was first advocated by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, according to Zhang.

Zhang said Jiang and Bolkiah will be present at the opening ceremony and make speeches, and Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen will attend the closing ceremony.

Zhang described the meeting as one of the most important meetings of this year's APEC activities.

Participants at the meeting include not only government officials, but also representatives from the industrial and academic circles, which constitute another characteristic of the event.

Some topics have also been arranged for the meeting, such as: Challenges Ahead: From Old to New for All Stakeholders, Strategic Options: Working to Reach All People, and Innovative Cooperation: Better Policy Approaches.

The meeting will also come up with a "Beijing initiative on APEC human capacity building," Zhang said.

The ultimate purpose of the meeting is to make the APEC members fully recognize the new challenges of the new economy and globalization, to set up new development concepts promoting economic and social advancement through capacity building, and build up the idea of cooperation, Zhang said.

(People’s Daily 05/11/2001)