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Accelerator-based science in Asia has made remarkable progress over last two decades, and the trend will certainly continue into the next century. There already exist in this continent two e^{+}e^{-} colliding machines (BEPC in China and TRISTAN-KEKB in Japan), a proton syschrotron (PS in Japan) and several electron storage rings specially used as light sources. In addition, another storage ring is being planned in Thailand. As a result, there are growing activities in Asia related to the design, construction and operation of these accelerators as well as the experiments in the fields of particle physics, nuclear physics, material and biological sciences.
Cosidering the current pace of development and the increasing role of accelerator-based science in the future, one finds it timely to establish a forum, the Asian Committee for Future Accelerators (ACFA), to discuss and to practice the means of further promoting accelerator-based science together in Asia.
Representatives from eight countries and regions attended the meeting. They summarized the status of accelerator-related science in their countries. These summary talks include the number of researchers in each field, facilities available, financial situation, activities abroad, computer network status, etc. Also they discussed the purpose, guideline, structure and future activities of ACFA.
During the meeting, ACFA released the Statement on Beijing Tau-Charm Factory, supporting the great efforts of the Chinese high energy physics community in pushing the costruction of Beijing Tau-Charm Factory. ACFA encourages regional cooperation in high energy physics in general and particularly encourages the scientists from Asia to participate actively in the R&D and the construction of Beijing Tau-Charm Factory.
Being very successful, the meeting is indeed a historical event in Asia. The next meeting will be held in 1997 in Thailand.
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April 1996 BEPC News