China will take further steps to develop its information industry in a sound and balanced way, said a Chinese official in Beijing Monday at a celebration for the 36th World Telecommunication Day.

Wang Xudong, minister of Information Industry (MII), said this when congratulating the festival. Wang said that the Chinese information industry is still lagging behind developed countries in terms of overall quality and nuclear competitiveness.

He said China's information industry should continue rapid growth while focusing on quality and benefit, carrying out the reform in telecommunication charges to give real benefits to the common consumers.

China should also develop telecommunication in rural areas, said Wang. He revealed that the Chinese government is facilitating research and development on technology for use in Chinese rural areas.

As the whole industry worldwide is turning to the next generation network, China will strengthen governmental administration and guidance with developing plans and technological policies, to push forward the 3rd generation telecommunication pinpointing its own domestic situation, said Wang.

He urged local research and development institutes and governmental administrations to jointly give the role of information technology its fullest play in public affairs like disaster alarm and prevention.

Wang pledged that the government will further enhance market supervision, to create a fair and sound environment for competition.

Statistics showed by the end of last year, the added value of China's information industry accounted for six percent of the whole GDP. The numbers of fixed and mobile telephone users in China were both ranked the first in the world, with a coverage rate of 20.5 percent and 20.8 percent, respectively. The number of Internet users is the second largest in the world.

Source: Xinhua