We　were　one　of　the　first　global　panies　to　recognize　China　and　Asia’s　R&D　potential。　When　I　visited　China　in　1997；　I　was　deeply　impressed　by　the　talent；　the　enthusiasm；　and　the　creativity　of　the　Chinese　university　students　I　met。　That　trip　played　a　pivotal　role　in　our　decision　to　establish　a　fundamental　research　lab　in　Beijing　in　1998。

The　Research　lab　in　Beijing　exceeded　even　my　own　high　expectations　by　making　significant　contributions　to　our　technical　knowledge　and　products　within　its　first　few　years　of　existence。 As　a　result；　the　lab　expanded　to　include　the　top　researchers　from　the　entire　Asia　Pacific　region；　and　is　now　known　as　Microsoft　Research　Asia。　It　has　achieved　remarkable　things　in　the　past　10　years　and　it　is　now　our　largest　research　lab　outside　of　the

Led　today　by　Dr。　Hsiao…Wuen　Hon；　Microsoft　Research　Asia　has　made　important　contributions　to　Microsoft　and　the　puting　industry。　At　conferences　where　researchers　gather　to　discuss　the　difficult　challenges　in　our　industry；　researchers　from　Microsoft　Research　Asia　are　announcing　and　publishing　significant　advances。　In　many　of　our　most　important　products；　from　Windows　Vista；　to　Office　2007　and　Xbox　360；　you’ll　find　key　innovations　that　were　developed　here　in　this　lab。

The　impact　of　Microsoft　Research　Asia　and　the　people　who　helped　build　it　extends　across　the　pany。　Today；　two　former　managing　directors　of　Microsoft　Research　Asia；　Dr。　Ya…Qin　Zhang　and　Dr。　Harry　Shum；　are　running　some　of　Microsoft’s　most　important　groups—our　technical　teams　in　Search　and　in　Microsoft　China。

Microsoft　Research　Asia　has　also　had　an　important　positive　impact　on　an　entire　generation　of　researchers　in　puter　science。　By　working　closely　with　local　research　institutes　and　universities　to　advance　the　state　of　pu