The convention was part of a program dubbed "narrowing the digital gap -- west China move" aiming to bring more information technologies and products to west China to boost its information industry.

Public information forums, network education, computer-aided agriculture, and digitization of manufacturing are the four major fields being targeted under the move, sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

According to the program, the digital gap between western China and other parts of the country will be basically held from widening further within the next ten years.

In past decades, the west has suffered from slow economic growth, low IT investment, and a severe shortage of information exchanges, education and training, which gradually caused a digital gap between it and the rest of China.

"The Science Ministry will pour 200 million yuan (US$24.2 million) into the program and the 12 western provinces and autonomous regions will input large sums of money as well for this purpose," said Li Wuqiang, vice director of the ministry's Department of High and New Technology and Industrialization.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2003)