The General Office of CAS issues a report concerning the establishment of ITP. In its report on 20^th, July, 2004, it points out that Institute of Tibetan Research (ITP) is set up by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for the study of the Tibetan Plateau. It is officially recognized in December, 2003 and made up of three branches nationwide, Beijing, Lahsa and Kunming. On ninth July, construction of its Lahsa branch begins, ushering in the all-around establishment of this new institute.

Under current situation when Tibetan Plateau has become an international focus for the study of global climate and geology, CAS notices the importance and necessity for China to set up a special research institute to boost the study there. The world has witnessed a large amount of research done by Chinese scientists in the past decades. China wants to maintain its edge and further its study in that region. Engaged in research on the Tibetan Plateau and worldwide collaboration concerning this field, ITP shoulders a responsibility to bring Chinese research on Tibetan Plateau into world advanced level.

To accomplish this goal, CAS has specifies its tasks in the following aspects: a) As a research institute, ITP will focus on the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and its influence on climate and environment in Asia and North Hemisphere. It involves such research fields as geodynamics on the Tibetan Plateau, landscaping, environmental change and biological adaptability under radical environment, biological genetics. b) ITP will also fulfill its role by establishing platform for collecting statistics, building its laboratories in accordance with world advanced standard and organizing an innovative research team. Open ITP should build itself into the backbone of the international Tibetan Plateau research. c) In respect of its coordination role, ITP should organize complex programs and plans concerning international Tibetan Plateau research, coordinate long-term scientific activities and optimizing inter-unit collaborations nationwide. With these tasks, each of its three branches has its own role. Beijing is the registration site of ITP and conducts laboratory studies, experimental analysis and international academic exchange, hoping to attract more innovative and enterprising minds to join in the research team. Lahsa will serve as a platform for field experiment and research, operation of spot monitoring. Kunming will mainly deal with research on biodiversity and the establishment of genetic database.

With an efficient administrative group and innovative research team, ITP has carried out its tasks as follows:

1)Organizing and carrying out key research programs;2)Planning out and setting up field monitoring sites and laboratories;3)Collaborating with other research institutes worldwide to play an active part in international study.

                              (Issued by Bureau of Resources and Environment)