A Symposium on High Tech Development for Atmospheric Observation, hosted by The key Laboratory for middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation（LAGEO）of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP/CAS), were convened in Beijing on Nov. 13th, 2009. The main purpose of this symposium is to review achievements in high tech development for atmospheric observation， and to establish strategies and goals for future development. Dr. Chaolin ZHANG (Director of Atmospheric Science Division, Department of Earth Sciences, NSFC), Dr. Xiaobo REN (Director of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Division, Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment, CAS), Dr. Yifen PU (Director Assistant of IAP and Director of Science and Technology Division of IAP), and Dr. Yu LIU (Manager of Science and Technology Division of IAP) were invited to the symposium. Academician Daren LU (Academic Committee Chair of LAGEO), Prof. Hongbin CHEN (Academic Committee Deputy Chair of LAGEO), and Prof. Xiushu QIE (Director of LAGEO) delivered reports entitled “Thoughts on High Tech Development for Atmospheric Observation”, “Status Quo of Earth Observation from Space and Preliminary Thoughts on Earth Science Satellite”, and “Status Quo of Observation Technology of LAGEO”, respectively. Nine other researchers from LAGEO gave reports on recent progress and future plan in three major aspects: satellite remote sensing, ground-based observation, and platform construction. Dr. Chaolin ZHANG listened to the full report, and highly recognized the important progress LAGEO had made in the development of atmospheric observation high tech. He encouraged the Lab to further reinforce the development of key technologies with self-owned intellectual property, to establish the Lab’s own brand name, and to form an outstanding research team for the development of atmospheric observation high tech. He also encouraged the Lab to actively apply for NSFC’s Instrumentation Special Fund and atmospheric observation technology projects. Dr. Xiaobo REN expressed his wishes that the Lab could strengthen its research team management, continue to bring in and cultivate more technical talents, enhance cooperation and communication with other domestic research units, and form a research team with international influence in the field of atmospheric observation high tech. Dr. Yifen PU and Dr. Yu LIU also proposed some constructive ideas on the future development of the Lab. The symposium was successfully concluded in lively discussion.