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China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said on Sunday the country would stick to the policy of opening up and continue to enhance cooperation with all countries in the information and communication technology (ICT) sectors on the principle of equality and mutual benefits.

Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of World Telecom 2006 of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

On behalf of the Chinese government he extended congratulations to Telecom World 2006 and welcomed all participants of the event. Wu also thanked the ITU for selecting Chinese Hong Kong as the venue for the exposition.

He said that in the process of reform and opening up, China's ICT industry had taken a leap-forward development and become a cornerstone and pioneering industry of the country. "China is now an ICT market with the greatest potential of development in the world," he said.

The Chinese government will continue to push the development of the information industry with a strategy of industrializing the country with information industry as the locomotive and promoting the information industry through industrialization.

"China sincerely welcomes enterprises of all countries and regions to invest and jointly tap the Chinese market," he said. China welcomed multinational companies to set up R&D centers to carry out coordinated research and development of technologies and products with local companies.

"The Chinese government will protect the legal rights and interests of all foreign investors and their intellectual property rights (IPR) in accordance with laws and firmly crack down on IPR infringements and copyright piracy," Wu said.

China also encouraged its well-established enterprises to "go out" and actively become involved in international technological cooperation, he said.

Telecom World 2006 is the largest exposition in terms of attendance and exhibition space since it was launched in 1971. This is the first time the exposition has been staged outside ITU headquarters in Geneva.  

More than 600 ICT enterprises from over 40 countries and regions attended the exhibition. It covers 60,000 square meters and displays the latest products, services, technologies and the development trends in the industry.  

Speakers at the opening ceremony included Yoshio Utsumi, ITU secretary general; Muhamad Yunus, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2006 and Donald Tsang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Hong Kong enjoyed exceptional advantages to develop the ICT industry, Wu said. He cited the local excellent ICT enterprises, its successful experience in business development and management and its world-recognized prestige.

He also pointed to Hong Kong's free and open economy, sound and healthy legal system, its broad links with international markets and many economic talents who were familiar with international practices.

Hong Kong, adjacent to the Chinese mainland, had forged indispensable, mutually-complemented and win-win cooperative economic links with the motherland, enabling it to tap the vast mainland market and ensure endless momentum for its development, he said.

After the opening ceremony Wu attended the welcoming reception hosted by the HKSAR government. Before the ceremony he met Utsumi and senior executives of renowned foreign ICT companies attending the exposition. In the morning Wu was given a preview of the exhibition.

Liao Hui, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council was among those who attended the opening ceremony.