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