Viviane Reding, who sits with the European Commission responsible for Information Society and Media, said yesterday in Shanghai that information and communications technology offer new opportunities for social inclusion, participation, business, growth and jobs in China.

Reding was delivering a speech to faculty and students of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).

Reding said she was struck by the list of remaining obstacles mentioned in the 2005 position paper issued by the European Chamber of Commerce in China. She said, "European industry is investing heavily in China and is a growing source of technology transfer and employment for China. But it faces a number of difficulties in the Information Society sector."

She added, "For example, in the area of so-called VAS (value added services) in China, over 16,000 licences have been issued, of which only four have been issued to foreign-invested companies. And this is not for a lack of interest by foreign companies. Rather it is a result of a licence application process which is far more burdensome than most other countries; and an overly restrictive interpretation of which VAS services can be provided."

Reding also called for China's government to be firmly anchored in the UN's human rights provisions and respectful of the fundamental freedoms, notably the freedom of information.

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