Researcher QIAN Hualin of the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame on April 8 at a ceremony in Hong Kong.  

QIAN, who was cited for his innovative contributions to the Internet, is the second Chinese to be named to the Hall of Fame—considered the highest accolade in the global Internet community. Academician HU Qiheng, former CAS vice president, is the other Chinese honoree. Altogether, 24 inductees were recognized this year for their contributions to the Internet by the Internet Society (ISOC), an international organization that promotes Internet development and sponsors the Hall of Fame.  

QIAN, who previously headed the National Basic Research Program of China, was technical director of the World Bank-funded National Computing and Networking Facility of China (NCFC) in the early 1990s. NCFC created the demonstration network that grew into China’s Internet. QIAN and other CAS researchers were instrumental in getting China’s nascent network linked to the global Internet in April 1994. QIAN also presided over the establishment and development of China’s domain name system and was the first technical liaison for .cn, the country’s top level domain. In 2008, QIAN headed a research team that created the theoretical basis for hierarchical switched network protocols, standards and algorithms, thus creating a new generation of Internet architecture. The work generated five patents and two software copyrights.  

Over the years, QIAN has won 14 technology awards, including several national and ministerial prizes and a First-level CAS Science and Technology Progress Award in 1998. 

QIAN said his induction into the Hall of Fame not only represents praise for him and his research team, but is an international affirmation of the development and innovation of China’s Internet. He noted that 20 years after China connected to the global Internet in April 1994 China now has the largest number of Internet users in the world. QIAN also expressed his conviction that the future builders of China’s Internet will make further contributions to the global Internet.  

The Internet Hall of Fame was launched by ISOC in 2012 to honor outstanding individuals who have made important contributions to the development of the Internet. Hall of Fame inductees are named to one of three categories: Pioneers, Innovators or Global Connectors.