The first exhibition on the contribution of science and technology to the innovation of non-state enterprises in the past 20 years will be held this week in Beijing.

The exhibition, to be held from March 10 to 13, will showcase the technical innovations achieved by the non-state sector, which includes private companies, collectively-owned firms and township and village-run enterprises.

Some 300 non-state enterprises will exhibit their achievements in applying science and technology to their operation, according to Ouyang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Economic Department of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, sponsor of the show.

The enterprises in the exhibition have made technical innovations in various fields, including digital technology, biotechnology, new materials, new energy and environmental protection, she said.

The federation has given special attention to the promotion of private enterprise development, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, through the application of science and technology in recent years.

It is a market-driven response of non-state enterprises to use technical innovations and improve their technological capabilities, Ouyang said.

The show will also demonstrate how the non-state sector has carved a way through an increasingly competitive market since the country adopted its opening up and reform policy in 1978, according to federation sources.

The federation has done its best to help create a favorable environment for the development of the non-state sector, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, said Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.

Wang's federation is a non-governmental organization linking the government with non-state-owned enterprises.

It has always been a priority of the federation to call on the non-state sector to use technical innovation and high technology as a major force of enhancing their competitive edge in the market, Wang said.

The federation has also tried to help non-state enterprises build an image of being patriotic, honest and law-abiding so as to gain the confidence of the public, according to Wang.

During the exhibition, the federation will organize several seminars on venture capital, the application and protection of invisible capital and the operation of the second board in Hong Kong.

(China Daily 03/06/2001)