This demonstration, which coincided with Clinton's China visit, provided face-to-face consultation between doctors at Xi'an Medical University and doctors at UCSF Stanford Health Care.

It was on behalf of two critically ill children and was the first real-time medical consultation between China and the United States over the Internet.

The event also showed the desire of people in both countries to communicate with each other across divides of space, time and culture.

And it was meant to help generate financial and institutional resources to extend such services farther into China so that doctors and patients in remote areas can have better chances of delivering and receiving proper care.

The AT&T Foundation funded the demonstration (and has funded enhancements of CMINET (China Medical Information Network) over which the consultation will take place.

Sun Microsystems is provided engineers from the US, Hong Kong and Beijing, and high performance computers (and has donated other equipment for CMINET in the past).

UCSF Stanford Health Care provided professional, technical and institutional support. UCSF Stanford physicians consulted with Chinese physicians. Senior officers and staff of both universities contributed services, facilities and expertise.

The Institute of Medical Information provided staff and organizational support. Xi'an Medical University is provided staff from its CMINET network center, physicians, and communications services in Xi'an. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences coordinated official matters on the China side.

Bridge to Asia proposed the demonstration and has managed preparations on the US and China sides. This event was an extension of our work with the Institute of Medical Information and CMINET which began several years ago.

The cooperation among these groups and others has been extraordinary, and might not have occurred if it were not for the possibility of a Presidential visit.

After the event, computers will be left in place so that further exchanges between Xi'an Medical University and UCSF Stanford can take place. In addition, a virtual emergency room (VER) will be launched, so that cases can be sent from rural areas to Xi'an Medical University and be placed on the World Wide Web. (There is no such project in China despite the critical need, and the event if successful will establish it.)

Other legacy projects to follow the visit by the President's delegation will include:

• development of a regional telemedicine center at XMU to serve the northwest of China
• annual telemedicine conference, to commemorate the Presidential delegation's visit
• enhancement of communications links to remote sites