Chinese Academy of Engineering Sciences (CAES) has recently received, from the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a formal message, noticing that Song Jian, president of the CAES, was elected foreign associate of NAE due to his outstanding contributions he has made in aerospace engineering, environmental protection, science and technology administration, and fostering international cooperation.

Founded in December 1964, the NAE, as one of the academies of the greatest influence in the world, is an institution at the highest-level in American engineering and technological fields. The NAE has as many as 2027 members and 157 foreign associates, of whom 78 are newly elected members, and 8 being foreign associates elected this year.

Song Jian is a scientist specializing in cybernetics, systems engineering and aerospace technology. He was elected a member of the CAS in 1991 and member of CAES in 1994. And still later in July 1998, he was nominated as the second president of the CAE, also foreign associate of Russian Academy of Sciences, of Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering, and associate of European as well as Asian Academy of Sciences.

Altogether 5 Chinese scientists have so far been nominated as U.S. NAE members. They are Mao Yisheng, Wang Dingzuo, Zheng Zhemin, Song Jian, and a Taiwanese scientist.