Three central government departments have expressed their hope that local advertising companies would help create awareness about the importance of defense education among the public by participating in a promotional campaign.

The three departments, the Comprehensive Office of the National Committee on Defense Mobilization, the Office on Defense Education, and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC), made the call in a circular published Saturday.

On the same day, a ceremony was held at the Military Museum, in central Beijing, to launch the campaign to create public awareness about the importance of national defense.

A SAIC official said that the government encourages all kinds of media units including radios, TVs, newspapers, periodicals and online media, to publish ads on defense education, adding that posters will also be displayed across the country for the same purpose.

Participation in this campaign will boost the image of these advertising companies, he noted.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2003)