An international workshop on capacity building for high-level officials in charge of planning for population and development was held in Beijing on Wednesday.

China's State-councilor Hua Jianmin delivered a speech at the opening, calling for strengthening South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue in the field of population and development, by sharing advanced perspectives and successful experience.

China has exerted efforts to promote the capacity building on the issue of population and development in developing countries and will continue to do so by giving substantial assistance to other developing countries, the Chinese state councilor said.

It is a common aspiration for all countries to consolidate and development South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue in the field of population and development, Hua said.

He proposed that the international community and governments of all nations "re-position" population control, all countries increase funds for reproduction health and population control, and make substantial efforts to strengthen developing countries' capacity building in implementing the millennium Development Goals.

The workshop was co-sponsored by China's National Population and Family Planning Commission and Ministry of Commerce, with the attendance of 150 representatives from 22 developing countries, international organizations and donors.

(Xinhua News November 9, 2006)