Opening Plenary. The opening plenary commenced with welcoming greetings from Dr. Li Xiaomin, Assistant President for Academic Affairs at Peking University, the host institution; from Dr. David Carpenter, the Chair of the PBC Board of Directors; and from Dr. Toufiq Siddiqi, representing the East-West Center, which houses the PBC Secretariat. These remarks were followed by five presentations that set the stage for the discussions that followed on the environmental and health issues of greatest concern in the Pacific Basin. Dr. Kirk Smith of the University of California at Berkeley discussed risk transitions, and how risks change as countries undergo development. He emphasized the fact that in many parts of the world there is a strong correlation between poverty and ill health, brought about by indoor air pollution, poor drinking water quality and greater exposure to environmental contaminants. Dr. Shu Tao of Peking University discussed problems in China resulting from emission and exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and the resulting problems of respiratory disease. This is an especially important problem in light of current economic expansion in China. Dr. Lillian Corra from the International Society of Doctors for the Environment in Argentina talked about the important roles that Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) play in dealing with issues of environment and health. Her focus was specifically on children's health, but with the clear understanding that if we can protect children we will also be protecting adults. Dr. Wu Yongning of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention discussed issues of chemical pollutants in food in China, outlining the steps that the Chinese government is taking to reduce a problem which has received global attention in recent years. Finally Dr. Chiharu Tohyama from the University of Tokyo, Japan, discussed dioxins in terms of health effects, mechanisms of action, public perception of risks and public health policy in Japan.