By Zhenghong Chen, ICHM Vice-President and China Regional Representative
From December 7 to 8, 2021, the China Meteorological Administration Training Centre held the 5th National Conference on the History of Meteorological Science and Technology, by onsite and online methods in Beijing. Dr. Alexander Hall, President of ICHM in 2021, wrote to the China Representative to support the conference and extend his best wishes.
There were three special invited presentations at the conference. Firstly, Zhang Wenjian, Assistant Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), gave a report on the Process of New China’s Restoration of the WMO Position. Secondly, Academician Li Zechun spoke on the History of Operational Numerical Weather Forecasting in China and some enlightenment. Thirdly, Zhang Baichun, former director of the Institute for History of Natural Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, reported on the Disciplinary Review and prospect of the History of Science and Technology in China.
The conference was attended by more than 70 delegations from 22 provinces’ Meteorological Administrations and more than 10 universities & institutes, with a total of 800 participants. The overall academic level of the speeches was high, which reflects the rapid growth and thriving development of the history of meteorological science and technology in China. The conference showcased 32 academic reports with a varied array of topics, including, Chinese-foreign weather, history of all branches of atmospheric science, meteorological science and technology development trends of history and civilization, the meteorological science and technology cultural heritage research, and other related research.