The 2003 Forbes Global CEO Conference kicked off in Shanghai
Tuesday, focusing its topics on China's role in the global
economy.
With the title of "Energizing Global Business: The China
Factor", the three-day conference has attracted approximately 400
regional and global CEOs to discuss and debate the global economy,
as well as China's role in global business, finance and
geopolitics.
The conference was organized by the leading US business
magazine--Forbes, and supported by the Shanghai municipal
government. This is the third time that the Forbes Global CEO
Conference has been held in Asia. In 2001 and 2002, the conference
was held in Singapore and Hong Kong.
"The fact that Forbes has chosen Shanghai as the host
city for the 2003 Forbes Global CEO conference is testimony to the
growing importance of the China market to the global economy," said
Steve Forbes, President, CEO and editor-in-chief of
Forbes, in Tuesday's press release about the
conference.
Steve Forbes said Forbes recently recognized Shanghai
as "the most promising place in the world for entrepreneurs and
China's gateway to the world economy."
He added that as the financial, economic and business hub in
China, Shanghai fully demonstrate the fruits and prospect of
China's open-up and economic reform.
According to Steve Forbes, highly localized content turns out to
be an important feature of this year's Forbes Conference.
A dozen themed sessions have been arranged for the conference,
most of which are closely tied in to the economic development in
China and Asia.
Another significant feature of the conference is the extensive,
active participation of Chinese entrepreneurs, said Forbes, adding
that their involvement highlights Chinese entrepreneurs'
increasingly important role in the world economy.
Forbes said the conference not only provides a chance for
China's domestic enterprises to better understand their foreign
counterparts and world economic trends, but also provides a
platform for domestic and overseas enterprises to communicate and
learn from each other.
"The conference will definitely exert a profound influence on
the growth of Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs."
Forbes is a leading US business magazine, with its
international edition, Forbes Global, enjoying a worldwide
audience of nearly 5 million readers, topping 1 million in total
circulation.
(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2003)