备用网址： http://www.nju.edu.cn/cps/site/xzbgs/viewhd.php?id=785 On behalf of Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS), I as General Secretary would like to welcome all of you to The 30th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS) to be held in Beijing, a beautiful and historical capital city of China. I am happy to know that this year is a special memorial year of the 30th anniversary of ACRS. It is my great pleasure to be able to organize the ACRS for the fourth time in China; 1981 (Beijing), 1990 (Guangzhou), 1999 (Hong Kong) and 2009 (here in Beijing). I am proud to tell you that Beijing is the birth place of AARS in 1981. I congratulate the Organizing Committee as well as Chinese scientists to host this important event for remote sensing scientists in spite of world wide economic recession. Particularly I thank Prof. Tong Qingxi and his team for their tremendous efforts to make this conference successful. Since the very beginning, China has greatly contributed to the activities of AARS/ACRS. It is sad to have to report you that several remote sensing scientists who contributed tremendously to ACRS, passed away recently. They are late Prof. Chen Shupeng, "Father of remote sensing and GIS in China", late Dr. Heng Thung, Dr. Boon's Award Winner and late Mr. B.J.P. Mendis, Chairman, Organizing Committee of ACRS 2008. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ACRS, I am happy to inform you that AARS will complete "Capital Cities in Asia with Satellite Imagery" which will be recorded in DVD. I appreciate those space agencies in Asia for their kind support to provide satellite images. In particular, I thank JAXA, Japan who provided ALOS data free of charge for this project. I also appreciate Prof. Kohei Cho who initiated this project. As you may know, the ACRS has kept a unique style as follows as compared with other International or Western conferences. 1. The ACRS is fully open to any nation and region. 2. Non-discrimination, which means that any participant must pay the registration fee. 3. Self fund participation. 4. Inexpensive registration fee of just 100 US $ including conference, parties, proceedings in CD ROM etc. I appreciate the organizing committee for the generous manner on behalf of participants. 5. Home made but not commercialized conference! The ACRS has been sustained with the following philosophy. 1. Friendship First and Money After! 2. For Asian, by Asian and with Asian! 3. Asian style with Asian culture! My task as General Secretary is to preach the philosophy to younger Asian scientists to achieve the sustainable ACRS for coming years. I am surprising myself how l could manage the ACRS for these 30 years. The answer is clear. I have been supported by Asian friends who understand the philosophy. It pushed me up until now. I want to thank you for your support. However, it is time for me to hand over my position to younger generation on this occasion. You may allow me to resign General Secretary after the service of 30 years. Of course I would like to support AARS/ACRS from my experience if requested. One of the most important outcomes of the ACRS is friendship as I mentioned before. Through this conference you may have more chance to exchange opinions and ideas with your new and old friends to promote the true growth of remote sensing in Asia. You may expand your human networks after the conference and keep good communication with your friends. This would be the real purpose of the spirit of Friendship First and Money After. Finally I wish you to enjoy this conference and contribute yourself to improve the quality of the conference by presenting papers, discussing technical issues, making performance at welcome party, exchanging mail addresses etc., whatever you can do for the conference. Again, I appreciate the Organizing Committee to have made a beautiful arrangement for the conference.