The Chinese government has outlined plans to break down obstacles to developing the country's information industry and encouraging technological innovation. 

The 11th-Five Year Plan and Long-and Medium-Term Outline of the Development of the Information Industry published on Tuesday lists 13 key fields for development. 

The information industry was a priority in developing national innovation as it was a driving force of sustainable economic growth, said Wang Xudong, Minister of Information Industry, at a national meeting on innovation in the information industry held Tuesday. 

The 13 fields included integrated circuitry, software and new electronic components, which were strategic and basic science and technology fields restraining the industry's development, said a senior official with the Ministry of Information Industry.

The official said the campaign would aim to strengthen the foundation of the information industry by developing key technologies and holding core patents and standards in these fields. 

The consolidation of communication, broadcast and television, and Internet networks into a complete information industry chain would be achieved by developing high definition television, wideband mobile communication, next generation networks, network and information security, and home network and intelligent terminals. 

The added value of information industry totaled 1.32 trillion yuan (US$165 billion) last year, accounting for 7.2 percent of the gross domestic product. 

Wang said Chinese enterprises should improve cooperation with transnational corporations and spur innovation efforts in the information industry on the open market. 

China should also complete auto computing platform, agricultural information platform, intelligent transportation system, information industry service platform and scientific study results transformation system, the outline said. 

The country's production of more than 30 electronic and information products, such as mobile phone, personal computer, color TV and display, ranks first in the world, however, their core technology is mainly from foreign countries with less than 10 percent of the export products having local brands, said sources.

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2006)