WPC claimed in its declaration that the required abilities set the new blueprint for success in the increasingly connected and dynamic economy.

Wealth distribution must be aimed at progressive investments such as education, innovation, grants for small and medium enterprises, and infrastructure of both the hard and soft kinds, it said.

The congress, under the theme of "Creating Wealth in the Connected Economy", opened Tuesday in Hong Kong's Convention and Exhibition Center. It will go on from Friday and Saturday in Beijing, capital city of China.

Topics on how innovation, green productivity, e-enterprise transformation, and building relationship with China were explored during the three-day meeting in Hong Kong.

About 1,500 international speakers and delegates from over 40 countries and regions attended the forum.

Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee Hwa delivered a speech at the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

He said the congress has "a very timely theme" as countries and communities all around the world are rethinking and reshaping their strategies in the face of new challenges brought about by the globalization and the dawning of the knowledge-based era.

"Productivity holds the key to business success in a highly competitive global economy. Hong Kong is no exception to this. We need to improve our economic and corporate performance through productivity enhancement," Tung said.

On the topic of "Sustainable development: Green Strategies", Xie Zhenhua, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration of China, said in his key-note speech that the

Chinese government is committed to developing a win-win strategy for economic development and environmental protection.

The minister said, " 'green productivity' is an important part of the advanced productivity and is key to achieve sustainable development."

He announced that the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2006) will be "a green Five-Year plan" as the Chinese government will continue to strengthen law enforcement, apply high technology, increase investment and adopt more favorable economic policies to environmental protection.

He also promised in his speech that China is willing to develop more cooperation and communication with foreign countries and companies in the protection and betterment of the environment.

Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush also delivered a key-note speech Thursday. He highlights the relationship between United States and China as "the most important bilateral relationship in the coming century as it regards a peaceful and prosperous world"

"I know and confidently tell you that China is vastly important to America," he said, adding that it will be developed in a cooperative and constructive manner.

Bush also said that China's entry into the WTO is a very good thing to provide a common base for the Sino-US economic relationship to grow.

Fidel Ramos, former president of the Republic of the Philippines, also spoke at the congress Thursday.

He said that as the trend of globalization is irreversible, Asian economies have to transform themselves to boost economic and social development while avoiding the side factors.

Ramos urged the Asian economies to unite together as free trade zone and the United States and Europe should open their market to developing countries as promised.

He welcomed China's imminent entry into the WTO as " good to the whole Asian region and the world " while suggesting that China should upgrade its technological level and industrial Structure.

All the speakers conveyed a common message at the congress that although the world is facing poverty and economic downturn currently, "heart can not be lost". They agreed that all period of great turbulence and difficulty are also periods of great opportunities and showed their confidence and optimism on a peaceful and prosperous world in the future.

The biennially WPC, under the auspices of the World Confederation of Productivity Science (WCPS) and co-organized by he Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Chinese Association of

Productivity Science and the China Productivity Centers Association this year, is the first major international event on productivity to be held jointly by Hong Kong and Beijing.

(People?s Daily November 9, 2001)