The first ever conference held by China's ruling Communist Party aimed at creating a more skilled professional work force has been held in the nation's capital. This is seen as key to realizing China's goal of building a comprehensive well-off society. The two-day conference was held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Chinese President and General Secretary of CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao addressed the conference and outlined the guiding principle for future work in this area. Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong also spoke during the meeting.

Hu Jintao said the event itself shows the central role human resources play in national development.

Hu Jintao said, "The conference is the first ever held by our party, and also the first held since the founding of the People's Republic. It shows that we consider the issue of human resources development to be highly important. And put it on a strategic level in Party and national development."

Hu Jintao says the issue is crucial if China is to cope with the increasingly competitive international environment, as well as to building a comprehensive well off society. It is also crucial to consolidating the ruling base of the Chinese Communist Party.

Hu Jintao said human resources represent the most precious resources of a nation. Therefore, top priority should be given to ensure the healthy development of a highly skilled professional workforce. Efforts should also be made to cultivate a social environment that respects those with expertise, and encourages more people to be enterprising.

The top leader promised to deepen reform in professional workforce management. Key to this is setting up proper criteria for judging an employee. This should not only take into account educational background, but also consider ability at work and personality.

Hu Jintao said the Communist Party of China must play a crucial role in managing the professional workforce. This is not to say the Party will take over the market's role in human resources distribution. Rather, the Party's organizational and personnel departments will be transformed into service oriented institutions. These institutions traditionally command great power in determining where people are employed.

Observers say the conference is held against the backdrop of an increasingly "knowledge oriented" economy where a highly educated and skilled workforce is playing a key role in economic and social development.

The conference is also the result of heightened international competition which boils down to a competition for human resources.

Another major problem is brain drain. Export of talent is restricting domestic access to human resources in China. Some of the outflow is only partial - to foreign owned businesses and joint ventures in China, but an increasing number of skilled young people are looking further a field for career opportunities. Training and retaining are both important, as is the reservoir of professionals that will be indispensable for the country's future development.

One of China's next top priorities will be to lift the professional standard of the country's workforce. The task is to change China from simply being the world's most populous country to a leading nation in professional expertise. This is of course a long-term goal requiring long-term commitment.

(People's Daily December 22, 3003)