Over the past decade or more, the art relating to modern optical waveguides has evolved as a nighly focused interdis ciplinary field, so attractive, stimulating and full of far reachin3 promise that no parallel could be found earlier in other branches of applied sciences except, perhaps, in solid state electronics and computer technology. This Proceedings, with a selection of 53 papers and briefs by 96 authors of 16 countries, is of real internation al dimensions. It is the outgrowth of the International Symposium held June 20-23, 1983, the first international meeting on this subject taking place in China. Since almost every country in the world, Eastern or ~;estern, large or small, has been involved in the study and promotion of this technological revolution, it is only natural that China snoula be happy to serve as host country of the international meeting to promote an interchange of experiences and iaeas conducive to greater achievements in the future.
