The International Conference on Digital Library—Opportunities and Challenges of Information Technology in the New Millennium hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People' s Republic of China has solemnly opened. Bringing together several hundred Chinese and foreign experts and scholars to discuss and exchange views on the issue of digital libraries of our common concern, this conference will be of profound and far-reaching significance. As an advisor to digital library construction in China, I would avail myself of this opportunity to extend my warm welcome to you and express my heartfelt thanks to you for your concern with construction of digital libraries in China and for the constructive opinions and suggestions you are expected to put forward at this conference. It is my belief that through our joint efforts, this conference will produce a positive influence upon construction of digital libraries in China and play a role in promoting advancement of the cause of digital libraries in the world. The fast development of science and technology, and the popularization of the Internet across the world, in particular, has greatly accelerated the pace of development, dissemination and application of knowledge, bringing the world into an era of a knowledge-based economy. In this world of fast changes, China is one of the countries that have seen the biggest transformation over the recent 20 years. As a member of the World Trade Organization, China is pushing further ahead its reform of social and economic systems for the purpose of laying a solid foundation to greet the advent of the era of a knowledge-based economy. Development of digital libraries is closely related to extensive dissemination of knowledge across the globe and development of a knowledge based economy. In my speech, I will first give you a brief account of the major changes that have taken place in the world and in China so far and, then, the basic situation of construction of digital libraries in China.
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