Zhou Guangzhao, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, said Thursday that science, technology and media industry should work together to building a crisis response mechanism.

At the Fourth Asia-Pacific Symposium on Press and Scientific and Social Progress, which opened Thursday morning, Zhou said that government departments, media organizations and scientific institutions should join hands in dealing with any possible unexpected events.

Technology serves not only as a useful instrument but gives timely, effective guidance to cope with crises ideologically and methodically, acknowledged Zhou, whereas media can provides general public with essential information on the relative events whenever and wherever they occur, so as to stabilized social mood at large.

Therefore, research experts and media circles need to have more interaction in order to promote rational opinions among the public, he said.

The Asia-Pacific symposium on Press and Scientific and Social Progress was held for the first time in 1992.

(Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2004)