A major national research program was kicked off to study global change on July 9, 2010 in Beijing. WAN Gang, Vice-Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology and other senior leaders attended the event, at which 19 major projects were launched, including a study of the typical warming periods in the past 2000 years and associated impacts, climate environment change in China since the last glacial period and its impacts on human population in the arid and semi-arid areas, Southern Ocean-Indian Ocean ocean-atmosphere process and its impacts on East Asia and global climate change, and impacts of climate change on China's food production system and associated adaptation. According to a briefing, the new global change study initiative will build up China's adaptability to global climate change, raising China's influence in the area, enhancing China's strength in studying global change, providing scientific evidences for securing a sustainable socioeconomic development, and rendering consultation and suggestions for China being part of international climate change talks and environment diplomacy.