CommentsfortheWiltonParkConferenceonChinaandherNeighboursPreparedbyGregorySheaVP,InternetBusinessDevelopmentXinDeTelecomChairman,Go4it.com.cnNovember22,2000First,IwouldliketothankourgracioushostsatWiltonParkforwelcomingushereandprovidingsuchimpeccablycourteoushospitalityaswellasJohnandthefolksatXRGforhelpingtoputtogethertheforumandguideourprogress.AboutXinDeTelecomI’dliketoopenmyremarkswithabriefdescriptionofXinDeTelecomthatmayhelpyouunderstandwhywehavesupportthisevent.XinDeTelecomisdedicatedtothegrowthofthenewnetworked-economyinChinathroughdevelopmentofcommunicationsnetworksandrelatedtechnologiesandservices.Sinceitsinceptionin1996asa70/30JVbetweenSeimensandCITIC,XinDeTelecomhasprovidingacombinationofconsultingandinnovativefinancialservicestoanumberofpartners,includingUnicominmobilenetworksandmorerecentlywiththeChinaRailwayTelecommunicationsCentreonabroadbandIPnetwork.Wealsohaveseveralotherinitiativesincable,satellite,iDENandtrunkmobileradionetworkdomains.XinDeTelecomisalsoundertakingsomestrategicITdevelopmentprojectsanddirectinvestmentsthatwillcomplementournetworkinitiativesacrossarangeofareasincludingICcards,settopbox,ande-commerceande-Learninginvestments.E-learning,isastrategicfocusforXinDeasitoffersameanstoacceleratethedevelopmentofhumancapital.Inthisregard,XinDehasmadetheleadinvestmentinGo4it.com.cn,anonlinemanagementtrainingsitefocusedonenablingChineseenterprisemanagerstolearnhowtoharnessthepoweroftheInternettoimprovetheirbusinessperformanceandbettercompetepostWTOaccession.Inthisregardwealsolookforwardtonextyearsconference,whichwillfocusontheChineseEnterpriseanditsroleinChinesesocietyandeconomy.Introduction1.OnMondayweheardthequestionposed–“whereisEurope”.I’dliketosuggestthatwewillalsoneedtoaskthequestionwhereisTechnologyandstatemythesisthattechnologyadoptionanddevelopmentwillbecomeanincreasinglyimportantcommondenominatorinthenextchapterofChina’sreformandopeningupeffort.2.ThatChina’stechnologydevelopmenthasbeenacorepriorityoftheGovernment’sreformdrivesincetheoutset,andhastwofundamentalelements:thedevelopmentofdomesticcapacity,andtheutilizationofthatcapacitybyorganizationsandindividuals.3.Technologycapacitydevelopmenthasfocusedheavilyonanextraordinarycommitment,twentyyearsago(giventheoverallsocialandeconomicsituationChinawasinathattime)todevelopingworld-classcommunicationsinfrastructure.Toalesserbutstillsignificantdegree,theGovernmenthasworkedtobuildthedomesticITandtelecomshardwareindustries.Attentiontosoftwareandtechservicesindustrydevelopmenthasbeenmorerecentanduneven.4.Technologycapacitydevelopmentwillbecomeincreasingdrivenby(andmarktheriseof)thenewprivatesector,particularlyintheareasofsoftwareandvalueaddedservices.AsthesuccessoffailureofChinatocatchupwithIndiaortheUSinthesesectorswilldependasmuchonhumancapitalasfinancialcapital,itwillposearealtestofthesophisticationofChineseregulatorstoparticipateinnewwaysthatdonotdiscouragethespecialbreedoftechpreneursneededtopullitoff.Ifallgoeswell,wemayalsoseeChina’stech-preneursplayamoreimportantroleinthefourthandfifthgenerationleadershipmuchaswehaveseentechnocratscontributetothethirdandfouthgenerationleadership.Morethanever,authoritywillbederivedfromeducationandcareerachievement,bothinChinaandabroad,ratherthanfrombureaucraticskillsinearlytimes.5.Technologyadoptionhasfocusedtodateoninstitutionsratherthanindividuals...
