During the COP 10 of CITES, I made a suggestion to Mr. Lapointe that IWMC 2^nd Symposium be held in China. With the great efforts of IWMC and Chinese Management Authority for CITES, today the symposium is finally launched in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. For this, I would like to express my warm congratulations on behalf of IWMC-China! And warm welcome for all the friends from afar!

Wildlife is an irreplaceable important component of the natural ecosystem in the earth. In the long history of human development, wildlife has provided material base for the existence and development of mankind and it still has tremendous economic, social and environmental values to date. For the benefits of present and future generations, we must conserve wildlife resources and pursue management and wise use in a scientific way in accordance with the principle of sustainable utilization. In the Environment and Development Conference held in 1992, the people from the world had reached consensus in handling and coordinating the relationship among population, resources, environment and economy. The common development strategy of human being-sustainable development strategy was further developed, the core of which is to preserve environment and wisely use nature resources. It is very important to create universal understanding of the principle of sustainable utilization and its value as a conservation tool. I think one of the objectives of the symposium is to amplify the concept, further promote the principle of sustainable utilization to exploit new conservation way.

IWMC devotes to wildlife conservation and promotes the sustainable use of wildlife. Therefore it will strengthen the cooperation and communication with country governments, governmental agencies, conservation organizations and the international decision making bodies. Mr. Eugene Lapointe, the president of IWMC, had established close relationship with Chinese relevant governmental ministries and conservation organizations and pursued effective cooperation when he served as the Secretary General of CITES. Such relationship and cooperation was strengthened with the foundation of IWMC. Today the launched Symposium with the support of the Chinese Government is a very good evidence. The establishment of IWMC-China will strengthen the relationship.

At the time when the history will step into the 21^st century soon, the fact itself that we get together to discuss wildlife conservation and sustainable use is of great historical significance. The meeting could be convened successfully, firstly we should thank for the hard effort of Mr. Eugene Lapointe, surely we should also thank for the support of Chinese Management Authority of CITES and the Sichuan Provincial government agencies concerned.

Finally I sincerely wish great success to the meeting! Thank you! �