The 2014 Work Meeting of the Chinese National Committee for the International Society for Digital Earth (CNISDE) was held at RADI on January 13. It was attended by more than 60 experts and scholars from across the country. High-ranking officials, including Mr. Wang Qinmin, vice chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Commission (CPPCC), Prof. Guo Huadong, chairman of CNISDE, and Mr. Liang Yingnan, former vice director of the Department of International Relations of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), were present and spoke at the meeting.

In his speech, Prof. Guo elaborated development opportunities for Digital Earth, its academic discipline and quantitative research, stressing that the Digital Earth undertaking is on the upswing. He asked various professional commissions of CNISDE to strive an academic platform for a Digital Earth system in terms of academic discipline and technological direction.

Mr. Liang affirmed the positive role of ISDE in facilitating Chinese scientists’ presence in international S&T community, assuring CAST’s unflagging support to the organization.

Mr. Wang emphasized that the Chinese government has given high priority to space information technology. Taking satellite application as an example, he raised difficulties need urgent settlement in this regard, and made suggestions to improve satellite application designing from such aspects as planning, information application infrastructure and technology.

The meeting examined and approved the propose to set up professional committees for digital mountains and digital agriculture, decided to expand and adjust membership of ISDE China, and held discussions on its planning in 2014.

In the academic session of the meeting, participants shared their views on such topics as current development of Digital Earth and fundamental theories in relate fields, and future prospects for its technology and application. In addition, they listened to a report on big science data and Digital Earth given by Prof. Guo. He expounded the evolution of Digital Earth from four aspects: development of Digital Earth, the arrival of the big data era, Digital Earth: big Earth data, and methodology for big Earth data. He also provided an analysis of the current development of big data in China and the ways to promote Digital Earth via new science programs.

Established in October 2006, the office of CNISDE is located at RADI. As China’s academic organization in the field of Digital Earth, the organization is a national member of ISDE. Focusing on serving China’s socioeconomic progress, it is devoted to the development of fundamental theories, technologies and development in the field of Digital Earth by uniting S&T workers and organizing academic exchanges both at home and abroad.

Chairman of CNISDE GUO Huadong delivers a speech.

Mr. Liang Yingnan makes a remark.

CPPCC Vice Chairman WANG Qinmin speaks at the meeting.