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China Launches Five-Year Economic Plan
by Danielle Belopotosky
China's parliament on Tuesday endorsed the five-year plan of Premier Wen Jiabao to boost the nation's economy and make progress in science and technology.
More than 97 percent of the 2,891 delegates present at the annual session approved Wen's plan, according to China's state-owned Xinhua News Agency. The favorable vote officially begins the plan, which was presented to the National People's Congress on March 5.
"China is now standing at a new historical starting point as we march toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous society," Wen told the congress.
In his address, which was published on parliament's Web site, Wen highlighted the major tasks for the year ahead. He said the government will intensify efforts to upgrade the nation's industrial technology and develop modern services and high-tech industries.
In creating new technologies, he said China would adopt measures to strengthen its system for protecting intellectual property rights. The government also will implement legislation to foster investment for business startups and will update its tax, banking and government procurement policies to support innovation, Wen said.
The government further will work quickly to launch science and technology projects, "focusing on making breakthroughs in key areas," he said. The government will invest $8.9 billion this year in science and technology research and development, up 19.2 percent from 2005.
The high-tech projects planned within the next five years include the establishment of integrated circuit research and development centers, with the goal of manufacturing 90-nanometer and smaller integrated circuits. The government also plans to develop applications for the next generation of the Internet, advanced computing and satellite communications.
Wen emphasized the need to accelerate rural reform to improve communications systems, roads and power grids. He said the government also will eliminate tuition and mandatory fees for compulsory education in rural areas in an effort to boost literacy there. "It is bound to have a far-reaching impact on raising the overall quality of the people of China," he said.
The Technologies Of Tomorrow
IBM on Tuesday proposed three chip designs for radio-frequency identification tags. The announcement was made at the annual CeBIT trade show in Hannover, Germany, this week.
The proposals include designs that would let consumers remove RFID antennas from products they buy in an effort to protect their personal data from being read by unofficial chip scanners. RFID tags increasingly are being used to track company inventory.
IBM has three pending patents on how to destroy RFID antennas, including "scratching the label," pulling off removable sheets that hold the antennas or breaking a "rupture point." While IBM does not make the RFID chips, the company has the capability of supporting the tracking solutions for the tags.
According to the company, even though the "clipped tags" would prevent scanners from intercepting the data, the chips would remain functional if they needed to be reactivated to repair goods or track them for another legitimate purpose.
IBM has expanded is RFID research. Earlier this month, the company opened an RFID testing facility in Dublin, Ireland.
Also at CeBIT, Hitachi predicted that car keys soon will become obsolete. The Japanese company's chief strategy officer, Mitsuo Yamaguchi, said biometric technology will be deployed into cars so access can be granted based on matching vein patterns in human fingers, as opposed to fingerprints. He said the technology is much more reliable. Japanese banks are using the vein-pattern technology at automatic teller machines.
European service providers also announced plans to expand high-speed Internet networks to offer customers advanced content. Deutsche Telekom plans to expand its network to offer customers high-definition television content. The company will deploy Germany's first advanced VDSL2 network, which will be connected via optical fiber.
Australia's Digital Push
Two Australian government ministries on Monday outlined a digital vision to double online content in the country over the next 10 years.
Helen Coonan, the minister for communications, information technology and the arts, joined Ian Macfarlane, the minister for industry, tourism and resources, in released an action plan called Unlocking the Potential. Its goal is to help industry generate new content.
"New digital platforms and services are emerging, and the rapid consumer adoption of broadband, wireless and digital broadcasting technologies provide exciting industry development opportunities," Coonan said at the announcement of the agenda.
The report said Australian industries face key challenges to boosting digital content, including attracting investment, confronting international competition, removing antiquated regulatory framework and filling a skills gap. The plan made recommendations in four key areas: investment, exports, skills and R&D. To foster investment, the government has initiated a partnership with industry to examine investment concerns.
The report also called for a strategic trade framework to seek export opportunities. For skills development, a fast-track accreditation for industry training was proposed, as well as better linking industry initiatives and universities and training.
The report further said industry and R&D stakeholders should establish mechanisms to work together. The government, meanwhile, should raise awareness of government-funded R&D programs that foster digital content innovation.
Coonan's office stressed the importance of promoting Australia's digital content industry. The sector employs an estimated 300,000 people and contributes some $18 billion to the economy each year. Moreover, the global industry is expected to grow at an annual rate of 7.3 percent.
The digital content industry includes: the production and marketing of digital and interactive film and television programs, as well as digital content in libraries and museums; the redistribution of educational materials; online gaming; the Internet-based publication of music, movies and games; and the development of software and online services.
The French Quest For E-Music Competition
Apple Computer could be forced to let customers modify downloaded music from its iTunes online music store in order for the content to be played on devices other than Apple iPods. The language is attached to a broader anti-piracy bill under consideration in the French parliament.
"The French proposal is nothing more than an attack on Apple's intellectual property rights that will limit consumer choice and stifle future innovation," Jim Prendergast, the executive director for Americans for Technology Leadership, said in an e-mail statement.
He further said that such a measure could force Apple to pull its iTunes store from the French market to prevent songs from being converted outside that nation. "Consumers will lose even more in the long term" if nations "dictate what technology companies do with their own intellectual property," Prendergast said.
The latest draft of the bill shelves an earlier proposal to legalize file-sharing networks. Instead, the new version would impose $45 fines on people who illegally download copyrighted content. Sharing that content could render $180 fines. Those who sell software to enable illegal file-sharing would be subject to $360,000 fines and three-year prison sentences.
A vote on the draft bill is expected Thursday.
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