Summary of APRICOT 2003 in Taipei

APRICOT 2003 (Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies) was just held in Taipei from February 19^th to 28^th February successfully. Contents of theThe significant conference included 9 parts: Pre-conference Workshops, Tutorials, Conference, APNIC Annual Member Meeting, The 1st Global IPv6 Summit in the Asia Pacific, Birds-Of-A-Feather Meetings, AP* Meetings, and Social Activities, and demo labswhich were held simultaneously.

Government affairs committee member Ching-yen Tsai, head of the National Information and Communication Initiative Team of The Executive Yuan, which was one of the host units of this conference, indicated that there were nNearly 1000 Internet technologists and managers from 3044 countries in the Asia Pacific Region and various parts of the world to attended this conference. Under the efforts of all of the participators and workers, APRICOT 2003 created the following five characteristics:

Participating countries, participators and sponsors achieved the new highest record over 8 years since establishment, which indicated the success of APRICOT 2003.

Through intensive speeches and supplemental meetings to introduce the latest Internet technologies such as IPv6, Internet security and Internet communication junction technology to assist Taiwan’s Internet manufacturers to control the new Internet business opportunities.

Keynote speakers of APRICOT 2003 were people in charge of the important international network organizations and leaders of opinions in the industry and the academic world; they would bring new ideas and enlightenments for the domestic Internet development through speeches in the conference.

This conference fully united with the industry, and the sponsorship form the industry was enthusiastic. Various sponsors also established booths of “demo labs” in this conference to show the latest network communication technologies and exchange with various domestic industries.

Provide an international exchange platform for domestic Internet industrial managers and technologists to directly communicate with and absorb the latest conceptions and technologies from international Internet talents through this precious opportunity.

APRICOT 2003 distinguished guest –Hsi-kun Yu, the pPrime mMinister of the Executive Yuan Republic of China pointed out in the opening ceremony : Currently, Taiwan is the fourth biggest economy in information hardware manufacture. People in Taiwan build have built a solid foundation in info-communication industry. As one member of the Asia-Pacific community, the Taiwan government and industries are eager to cooperate with all countries in the region, especially in promotion and operation of IPv6, application of e-commerce, interoperability of PKI and domain names. He emphasized that” Taiwan is willing to make a contribution and cooperate with AP community to level up the Internet development, promote the interoperability of relevant products, and create another climax for the Internet in the region. And Tthis event just provides people in Taiwan with such an excellent platform to exchange experiences, accumulate wisdom and grow together under the goal of promoting Internet technology, digital economic development and the regional booming in AP.

In this conference, tThe key-note speeches on 26 and 27 February such as” Winning in the Internet Era”,” A Network Infrastructure that Hides IP Addresses”, Challenges in Service Deployment”, ” ICANN and the Global Internet: Looking Forward” and” Global Standards, Local Implementation” from five distinguished opinion leadersguests of Internet also aroused a widespread response. Topics of speeches by various speakers are as follows: (Please dWelcome to download from the following website: http://www.apricot2003.net/ppt/):

1.Chen-jung Shih, the president of Acer Group: ” Winning in the Internet Era”

1.Hsiang-chung Kung from Academia Sinica: ” A Network Infrastructure that Hides IP Addresses”

1.Fred Baker, chairman of ISOC: ” Challenges in Service Deployment”

1.Stuart Lynn, chairman of ICANN: ” ICANN and the Global Internet: Looking Forward”

1.Chia Teng Kan Chih, Asia Pacific director of ICANN: ” Global Standards, Local Implementation”.

At the closing ceremony The high tide of this summit appeared oon 2/27 February,. Abhisak Chulya, the chairman of APRICOT 2003 indicated at the closing ceremonythat , APRICOT 2003 no matter form the point of view of paon the participators, experts and or conference design, APRICOT 2003 have all created a new modelparadigm for APRICOT. And In the conference, the chairman Chulyahe also also announced that the Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia, be host city hostfor city for APRICOT 2004, which will be the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur to dedicate continue the effort for this significant grand occasion of Internet technologies.

	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Host countries	Singapore	Hong Kong	Philippines	Singapore	South Korea	Malaysia	Thailand	Taiwan
No. of participatortors	280	630	320	632	850	888	645	1,069
participatingNo. of countries	18	25	24	25	36	31	30	4430
No. of sponsors	10	27	18	19	37	32	26	43
Table of conference data from 1996 to 2003