Bloomberg to China: Freedom To Pursue Ideas Leads to Innovation

Mayor Bloomberg is calling on China to give its people the freedom to pursue and express new ideas in order to bring about new innovations.

In the first speech of his China trip, delivered in Beijing at a conference on innovation this morning, Mr. Bloomberg said "that efforts to control access to information — whether it's the Internet or anywhere else — will undermine progress," according to the prepared text of his speech.

"Access to information is a strength, not a threat … and it is a fundamental part of innovation," he said. "The more that China embraces this notion, the more innovative it will become."

Competition drives innovation, but is hindered by government-controlled industries, Mr. Bloomberg said.

He added that in order for innovation to flourish, the rights of innovators must be protected. He said he believed China would strengthen its protections of intellectual property because doing so is in its self-interest.

Improved public education and an openness to the rest of the world also will help China and America drive innovation in the 21st century, he said.