A feasible study has been under way of a national digital library project approved by the State Council, China's cabinet. It is estimated that the investment will exceed 1 billion yuan (US$120.97 million), said Zhang Yanbo, vice curator of China National Library.
Zhang disclosed the news at a press conference at International Conference of Digital Library-IT Opportunities and Challenges in New Millennium held by the National Library on December 18.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and China National Library, is said to be the first exhibition get-together of international new achievements, new products and new technologies, it is to be held from July 8 to 11, 2002 in Beijing.
As China's key information infrastructure construction project, the national digital library has been listed as a key project in China's "10th Five-year Plan". Zhang said that the digital library is estimated to occupy an area of 70,000 square meters (83, 719 yards), after establishment, the total area of the National Library will reach 240,000 square meters (287, 036 yards), on a scale to top world three.
Vice Culture Minister Zhao Weisui pointed out that the Chinese information content on the Internet does not match with the language's position as one of the commonly used languages in the United Nations. He said that China will set up an Internet Chinese information base to change the situation and promote Chinese culture dissemination so that Chinese civilization can be widely made known to people throughout the world.
(People?s Daily December 19, 2001)
