The annual Hong Kong Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Factors East Meets West Symposium was inaugurated in 1999 by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to promote academic exchanges and foster collaborations in light of the rising burden of these chronic diseases, especially in Asia. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the East Meets West Symposium was held in conjunction with the 6th Congress of the Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Diseases on 25 – 28 September 2008 at HKCEC. The Congress is also one of the highlights to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of CUHK.

Over a hundred dignitaries, delegates and guests, led by Mr. John Tsang, JP, financial secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR and Prof Tai-Fai Fok, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, CUHK, attended the opening ceremony held on Thursday, 25 September.

In this 3-day Congress, we had 6 plenary lectures, 47 symposium lectures, 27 oral communications and 40 poster presentations. 1,044 delegates from 26 countries were attracted to the congress with an impressive faculty of over 50 local and international speakers 40% of the delegates were from overseas, as far away as Russia, East Europe, South America and the Indian subcontinent. The other 60% are from China, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, Macau, Japan, Korea and Australia. Prizes were awarded to young investigators for the best abstract presentations.