On August 14, 2006, NSFC delegates led by Academician Prof Chen Yiyu arrived at the town of Lulang, where the Southeast Station of Alpine Environment (SSAE), CAS is located.

The station, one of the three key stations for the Plateau research targeted at the following research aspects: 1) meteorological and climate parameters of the region,2) transportation process and local circulation of heat and vapor along the Yarlung Zangbo Valley, 3) constraints of various heat-vapor combinations to latitudinal distributions in the mountains, 4) mass balance, velocity, and end variation of the glaciers, 5) formation and evolution of glacial barrier lake, and 6)monitoring of glacial stability and its response to environmental change as well as social economic development.

Academician Chen acknowledged the research targets of the station as in accordance with the initial purpose of setting up the ITP. He also offered valuable academic guidance as to the research focus and aspects. Finally, he encouraged the station to draw as much support as possible from numerous concerning parties to enrich its academic horizons.