Talent shortage is the key problem facing us now. We are in urgent need of talented people, especially people who are well versed in business management and are experienced in conducting economic and technological exchanges with foreign countries.

Considering that training experts is not something that will yield instant result, we have drawn up plans and adopted a series of measures to train specialists in building the special economic zone. We also are prepared to invite both Chinese and foreign experts and scholars to help realize these plans.

Does the zone have trade unions? If so, how do they differ from those of the capitalist countries and what is their role?

Yes. Several hundred of Xiamen's older enterprises had trade unions before the establishment of the special economic zone. With the establishment of Chinese-foreign joint ventures, Chinese-foreign co-operative enterprises and solely foreign-owned enterprises after the Xiamen SEZ was set up came a new labour-capital relationship. Most of the 99 such enterprises that have already opened to business have their own trade unions.

The new labour-capital relationship is also different from that of the old society. Now the capitalists and their agents are invited by us, and they are our partners. This new relationship is being dealt with according to the principle of equality and mutual benefit. The trade unions in these Chinese-foreign joint ventures also differ from those of the state-owned enterprises, although they are under the same leadership of the All-Clina Federation of Trade Unions.

The main tasks of the trade unions in the special economic zone are to educate their workers to better understand and implement the open policy, and contribute to the development of Chinese-foreign joint ventures and foreign-owned enterprises. The trade unions should also encourage foreign-owed interprises to abide by the laws, while also respecting the rights and interests of these foreign businesses and supporting them in the reasonable use of their management power. In addition, trade unions should uphold the rights and interests of the workers, stimulate their productive initiative and help them improve their political, technical and cultural levels.

In the last six years, because of the activities of the trade unions, there have been no major falling-outs between labour and management. The Chinese and foreign sides have both done their best to make their enterprises a success, each side doing its share to carry out their contracts. Though some problems have emerged due to lack of mutual understanding, they have been solved quickly.

What measures have you adopted to prevent bourgeois thoughts and habits from polluting the area's residents?

The Xiamen Special Economic Zone was established on the basis where the socialist public economy occupies an uncontested dominant position in China, and is different from the export processing areas and free trade districts of other countries and regions. China's ultimate aim is not only to catch up economically with the developed countries, but also to uphold the socialist system in order to benefit the Chinese people through economic achievements.

As people live under different social systems, so their concepts of value and morals are different. The development of the zone is not oriented towards capitalism, but instead, it will gradually be built into an equitable society where the economy is thriving, the people have lofty ideals and a sense of discipline, the environment is attractive and social morality is good. Our special zone will not tolerate corruption, bribery, smuggling, reactionary and pornographic books and magazines that will poison the people's minds, especially those of the young. If such disgusting things were allowed to spread unchecked, it would be meaningless to build the zone.

From the outset of the zone's establishment we have given attention to the cultivation of traditional morals and have publicized our principle of oppos- ing negative influences but not everything foreign. Our attitude towards decadent bourgeois thinking is: We are opposed to but are not afraid of it.

The main measures we have adopted to retain our cultural integrity are as follows:

We have educated all leading cadres and the people to observe the open policy, inspired them to love the motherland and the people and foster lofty ideals. We also have established Party committees, Youth League committees and the trade unions in the joint ventures and co-operative enterprises according to China's Constitution. We have also asked the Party members, cadres, workers and staff members to abide by the law and disciplinary codes and honour the contracts already signed. these measures have helped us run our enterprises better and have been welcomed by the foreign business people.

We also have criticized and punished people for peddling pornography or for illegal traffic in smuggled commodities. We have established a video tape leasing corporation in order to strengthen our management of the zone's tapes. Any units or people who show pornoraphic tapes without authorization will be punished according to Party codes and the law.

We also have established recreational centres, homes for the elderly people, amusement parks and other centres. The zone has also organized dances in order to enrich after-work activities for residents of all ages.