China Satellite 2003 was on its fifth consecutive year and has become one of the most influential international conferences and virtually a brand in the China’s satellite industry. Although struck by SARS, China Satellite Application Conference 2003 was successfully convened at Beijing New Century Hotel on October 28-30, 2003, with the joint efforts from the host (Academy of Communications) and the undertaker (Beijing Shideye Consultant Co., Ltd.).

During the China Satellite 2003 Conference, Luo Qinjian, deputy minister for the Ministry of Information, Guo Baozhu, deputy director of China National Space Administration, Shao Liqin, director of National Remote Sensing Center, and Qi Chengyuan, deputy director of the High Tech Department of National Development and Reform Commission were invited as VIP for theme speeches. Presided by Liu Cai, secretary general and deputy director of Academy of Communications, the conference covered various important issues of the China’s satellite industry and brought forward prospects for its industrialization development.

More than 400 delegates attended the conference, including 20 foreign attendees. Some of foreign attendees were global senior analyzers, diplomats in China, etc., and mostly from foreign famous satellite enterprises and international organizations. The Chinese representatives were from government departments, provincial telecom administrations, Radio and TV administrations, microwave administrations, satellite administrations, satellite manufacturers, carriers, network service providers, equipment manufacturers, as well as various users, including telecom carriers, banks, financial institutions, government departments, military departments, etc. There were 25 companies participated as exhibitors showcasing their latest products and technologies including foreign companies like Hughes Network Systems, Intelsat, inmarsat, ANACOM, Inc, EMS Satellite Networks, Gilat Satellite Networks and others.

Many foreign and local media paid close attentions to and actively participated in the conference. A total of 16 TV and paper media attended the conference, including some that voluntarily requested for attendance. Two columns of Beijing TV Station namely “Capital Economic Reports” and “Science and Trading View” made news about the conference, and “China Information World” also reported the event with an article named “Another Climax for China’s Satellite Applications” on November 3, 2003.

China Satellite 2003 and ECOSOC Information, Communication and Space Technology Department jointly convened the special proseminar on satellite remote medication and remote education, with hot topics on the development of the broadband multimedia satellite communication and the industrialization of satellite navigation and remote sensing applications. The organizers invited some experts to give speeches on the satellite applications on e-politics, public sanitary system, Iraq war, etc, and also some national and international famous consultant companies for referential and inspiring information and suggestions on the development prospects of the international satellite application industry, the latest revenue-generating modes for satellite applications, the role of satellite applications in the technology transfer and training for multinational companies, and the development of satellite broadband in the Asia-Pacific region.

This year’s China Satellite Application Conference was convened by overcoming the negative influences of SARS as well as the depression of IT and telecom industries. Some of the foreign sponsors that supported in the previous conferences stopped sponsoring this year’s conference due to budget constraint, internal restructuring, and other reasons. The number of attendees who had paid the attendee fees was less than 1/3 compared to the previous years.

The conference organizers had to invite free but targeted audience but the number of attendees was still smaller than last year, in total slightly more than 400 delegates for the two and a half day conference. Even though some of the sponsors and exhibitors expressed their sorrow, most participants both exhibitors and attendees still strongly believed that the conference should continue as an annual event so that there would be an opportunity for them to network, communicate and discuss about the latest trends and technologies and the development of the satellite application industry in China.

With the goal to promote the satellite application in China and to build the conference as an influential and successful one in the industry, it is imperative to find an effective solution by summing up the conferences, especially the one held this year, re-planning the organizational structure, content topics, and conference-related works, etc.

The conference organizers’ main objective for China Satellite Conference cum Exhibition 2004 is to make sure that it will be a much larger and successful event and more importantly, it has to be beneficial to both the sponsors and the users.