On March 28, 2011, the opening ceremony of the Kashgar Sub-Center of the Center for Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE) was held in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. More than 100 delegates including Yin Hejun, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Jin Nuo, Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; related institutes of CAS; related industry sectors ; and various research institutes, entrepreneurs and experts were invited to attend the opening. Wang Xiaoming, Secretary of the CPC Committee of CEODE, presided over the ceremony.
Professor Guo Huadong, Director-General of CEODE, first gave welcoming remarks, pointing out that the establishment of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE is a significant step forward in implementing the Chinese Central Government’s goal of developing the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on the basis of the “National Twelfth Five-Year Plan”, “Innovation 2020” and pursuing the “Small Center, Big network” vision. The establishment is also another significant implementation for scientific research on the Xinjiang area, Central Asia and the world. He noted that CEODE will integrate its science and technology advantages with the efforts of all colleagues to further facilitate the integration and sharing of spatial information resources, make contributions to the realization of “leapfrog development” of the Kashgar social economy, and continue “win-win cooperation” and harmonious development in Central Asia.
Yin Hejun, Jin Nuo, and Akbar Hupur, Commissioner of Kashgar Prefecture, conducted the unveiling of the Kashgar Sub-Center.
Hupur, representing Kashgar, signed a science and technology cooperation agreement with CEODE. Both sides will build up lasting science and technology cooperation mechanisms and will develop sophisticated biological environment protection, resource exploitation and utilization, urbanization and other areas around resource advantages and the special biological environment in the Kashgar area. Both sides will also cultivate innovative talent vigorously, build self-innovation capacity and improve civil scientific quality. Scientific support will be provided for social economy and sustainable development in Kashgar. Hupur noted that Kashgar has been admitted as a Special Economic Region by the Chinese Central Government. This brings significant opportunity for Kashgar to leapfrog in social and economic development. The agreement has also blazed a trail for development of spatial Earth observation technology, Digital Earth sciences and remote sensing information technology. He hopes that Kashgar and CEODE can make key contributions to sustainable development of the regional economy through the efforts of both sides, the unique geographic and resource advantages, and CAS academic resources and talent.
Wang Haitao, Director-General of the Xinjiang Earthquake Administration, signed the “Xinjiang Severe Earthquake Emergency Remote Sensing Cooperation Framework Agreement” with CEODE. Both will conduct close cooperation on earthquake disaster forecasting, monitoring, and evaluation for providing spatial science and technology support on earthquake-proofing and rescue.
Jin Nuo made an address, commending the multi-level science and technology cooperation between the Xinjiang Government and CAS. These are key implementations to realizing leapfrog development and long-lasting safeguard in Xinjiang from a new historical starting point. More science and technology staff and institutions will enter into the China Western Development project and promote science and technology development in Xinjiang.
Yin Hejun expressed strong support for the establishment of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE on behalf of CAS. He sent sincere thanks to the Autonomous Region and Kashgar leaders for the support and help in a variety of CAS activities. He also hopes the science and technology cooperation amongst CEODE, Kashgar Prefecture and the Xinjiang Earthquake Administration can make progressive development. Yin stated that CAS needs to pursue national and regional developing goals for integration of regional innovation systems and technology innovation systems to achieve the CAS mission of “Innovate science and technology, serve the nation, and benefit the people”. Yin also expressed expectations of the science and technology staff in the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE, including cooperation with the Xinjiang Sub-Academy of CAS, related institutes, the local government, and universities; to conduct research around the resources advantages and special biological environment in Kashgar and Xinjiang for cultivating local science and technology talent; upgrading the quality of life; and providing science and technology support on the sustainable development of the regional socio-economy.
Liu Yongwei, Director of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE, declared the establishment of the Experts Committee of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE and announced the list of committee members. Guests visited Kashgar Satellite Ground Station of CEODE.
The Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE is meant to satisfy national strategic demand. It is a sub-center of regional research to serve region sustainable development based on self-sustainable science and technology resources and the advantages of CEODE. The sub-center is a comprehensive research institute combined with operation, research and technology under CEODE. The Kashgar Sub-Center will be the basis of the construction of a 160,000 square-kilometer Special Economy Region to satisfy the economic and social development necessities of western China and the Xinjiang area; to face international research development, especially developing resources, environmental and global change research; to serve regional sustainable development; and satisfy nation strategic demands.
The Opening Ceremony of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE, held in Kashgar Prefecture
Wang Xiaoming, Secretary of the CPC Committee of CEODE, presided over the opening ceremony
Guo Huadong, Director-General of CEODE, made an address
Yin Hejun, Jin Nuo, Akbar Hupur and Guo Huadong present a plaque commemorating the event
The Signing Ceremony of the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement between CEODE and Kashgar Prefecture
Akbar Hupur, Commissioner of Kashgar, made an address
Jin Nuo made an address
Yin Hejun made an address
Liu Yongwei declared the establishment of the Experts Committee of the Kashgar Sub-Center of CEODE
(Translated & Edited by: Wang Hua; Supervised by: Liu Jie)