China has been experiencing very rapid economic growth in the last decade.  Economic prosperity enables the government to spend more money on cultural activities, including libraries.  Many new provincial and municipal libraries were built and some more will be completed soon.  The commitment on library and information service reflects the country's recognition of the role of libraries in the overall development of a society.

To promote regional cooperation, the Guangdong Library Society organized its 2001 annual academic conference with the Macau Library & Information Management Association.  The Hong Kong Library Association sent a few representatives to participate in this event with an aim of exploring  further collaborative opportunities.

A full day presentation and round table discussion were held on 27 October in the Shenzhen Yingbing Hotel.  The conference attracted an audience of more than 160 library professionals in the Guangdong Province and Shenzhen City.  A number of high ranking officials from various government departments came to officiate the opening of the conference.  Aside from local participants, the conference also attracted representatives from other provinces and cities, including Ms. Tang Gengsheng, Deputy Secretary General of the China Society for Library Science.  Dr. Anthony Ferguson, Librarian of the University of Hong Kong, and Mr. Andrew Liu, Lingnan University Library, each gave a presentation in this conference.