Nearly 1 million people in China's comparatively poor western areas have been trained to use computer and the Internet, thanks to a program recently launched by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).

The program of computer training for people in poor western areas was jointly launched by CYLC and the Leading Group for Western Region Development of the State Council in July 2002.

It called on all society to donate computers to schools in western poor areas. Young volunteers of long-term poverty-alleviation projects, including Project of Supporting Education in Poor Areas and Western Project, have served as the trainers to conduct computer skill training to the local people.

Training 1 million computer technicians is a target set three years ago when the program was launched. The central government urged local governments to comply with the program to ensure its implementation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2005)