Foreign observers described the government work report as one showing the city had grown up at the opening ceremony of the First Session of the Fourth Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress (MPC) on Saturday.

"In terms of the substance of the government work report, I think it is very interesting to notice the focus of the government's programs is shifting to quality of life, the environment, the conditions of workers, education and cultural development," said Chris Wood, British consul general in Guangzhou, who attended the city's legislature meeting for the first time.

"This shows that Shenzhen is becoming a much more mature city and the government is very much focusing on the difficult issue that rapid economic growth over the past two decades has given rise to particular problems such as the environment, energy shortage and the need for a better transportation system," Wood said.

Jim Feir, Canadian consul general in Guangzhou, was also impressed by the progress. "The city government has made over the recent years," said Feir.

The opening ceremony of the MPC meeting this year saw a total of 26 foreign guests attend.

Among them, 10 were consular officials from eight countries including Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, and 16 were foreign experts working and living in the city.

This is the second time the city government has invited such a large number of foreign visitors to attend the annual meeting.

Li Hongzhong, the city's Party secretary and mayor, called the foreign attendants this year "a special committee to examine the government work report."

Lim Eng-hoe, Singaporean consul general in Xiamen, Fujian Province, suggested the city government should help build an international hospital, more international schools and an international airport to step up the process of building Shenzhen into an international city.

"It was an honor for me to attend the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress to gain a better understanding of how the government operates here in the city," said Maynard Yutzy, director of the QSI International School of Shekou.

Scott Hatch, Asia Pacific manager of the American company RCM Consulting & Services Ltd., said he was more interested in finding in the government work report which part in the service industries had opened up to foreign companies.

(Shenzhen Daily May 30, 2005)