The International Materials Research Conference (IMRC-2008), organized by MRS and the Chinese MRS for 4 days, was opened in Chongqing International Convention and Exhibiting Center, on June 9, 2008. The meeting attracted over 1,500 participants in the field of materials from 49 countries attended, who introduced and exchanged their latest development in the materials research. Wan Gang, Minister of The Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, and Huang Qifan, Vice Mayor of Chongqing city et al. made speech at the meeting. Huang Boyun, President of Central South University, member of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chu Ching-wu, Co-chair of IMRC, President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Eric Garfunkel, Co-chair of IMRC and Sungsu Han, Co-chair of IMRC and Alan Hurd, Past President of Materials Research Society of American et al. were also attended the meeting.

Minister Wan Gang made a high remark on the achievements in the research and application of magnesium alloys in Chongqing city. He said that the breakthrough in the key technologies of the advanced magnesium alloys, which made China become one of the three centers of the research and applications of magnesium alloys in the world, and emphasized that Chongqing city was an important base.

Vice Mayor Huang Qifan said that the materials industry was not only one of industries support especially, which was defined clearly in the 11th Five-year Development Program in Chongqing city, but also the basis of the development of automobile and motorcycle industry and the electronics industry in Chongqing city.

Chongqing city has become the fifth largest base in the world and the second largest base of production in glass fiber in China, also an important production base in the national natural gas and aluminum, magnesium alloys. Finally, he pointed out that the successfully opened of the IMRC in Chongqing city would have a profound significance in the enhancement of the R&D, technical progress and industry development in the materials field in Chongqing city.