It is a great pleasure for me, on behalf of the Council of the Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Society, to welcome you at the Second Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Symposium. This Symposium has been organized, under the auspices of the Society, by Zhejiang University and the Local Organising Committee ably headed by Professor Yuanzhi XU. 

Continuing with the spirit of the First Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Symposium, held at the City University of Hong Kong, January 20-24, 1997, this Symposium, although aimed primarily at the Asia-Pacific countries, is also open to participants from all over the world. The main aims of our Symposia are to bring together as many EPR/ESR spectroscopists as possible and to promote and facilitate collaboration among the EPR/ESR community. Moreover, since two years ago Hong Kong celebrated the transition to Chinese sovereignty, I am particularly pleased that the Second Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Symposium is hosted by a mainland Chinese institution. I believe that this Symposium may play an important role in uniting EPR/ESR spectroscopists from all over China. 

I am confident that the scientific program of the Second Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Symposium will satisfy most of the participants. As usual the most important part of any conference is to meet fellow researchers. So hopefully the opportunity of personal discussions provided by this meeting will be fully utilized.

May I invite all Asia-Pacific researchers to join us at the Annual General Meeting of the Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Society, to be held on Tuesday, the 2^nd of November. Colleagues from other countries are welcome as observers. A whole range of topics of interest to the EPR/ESR community will be discussed. 

I am very happy to share with you a piece of good news. In April 1999, the Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Society has been accepted as an Affiliate Society of the International EPR/ESR Society (IES). This brings us closer towards fulfilling both Societies Mission, i.e. uniting all EPR/ESR researchers. International recognition of the Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Society by IES, which is a respected and mature international professional body, is a great honor to all EPR/ESR researchers from the Asia-Pacific region. I wish to thank personally Professor John Pilbrow, Secretary of the International EPR/ESR Society and Council Member of the Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Society, to bring about this affiliation.

My sincere thanks go to all members of the Local Organising Committee, especially Professor Yuanzhi XU, for their dedicated work to make the Second Asia-Pacific EPR/ESR Symposium a successful meeting. Support from the International Advisory Committee in nominating the invited speakers and maintaining the high standard of this Symposium is also much appreciated. I also wish to express the Society’s gratitude to all sponsors for their financial support. Thanks are due to all speakers and participants, who by attending the Conference have helped to make this Symposium a successful event. 

May I wish you an enjoyable and stimulating experience at the Symposium.

Thank you.