On April 8th, 2014, the Internet Society (ISOC) announced the names of individuals who have been selected for induction into the 2014 Internet Hall of Fame in Hong Kong, which is the highest honor of the global Internet community. The 2014 class of inductees included 24 individuals with highlighted contribution in the field of Internet from the global scope. Researcher Hualin QIAN of the Computer Network Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences (China Internet Network Information Center), was successfully selected, being the second Chinese who won the honor after Academician Qiheng HU, former Vice President of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Academician Qiheng HU and Researcher Hualin QIAN are not only founders of China’s Internet, but also originators of CNNIC and earliest members of CNNIC Steering Committee. Academician Qiheng HU and Researcher Hualin QIAN, as Honorary Chairmen and Member of CNNIC Steering Committee respectively, are still making arduous efforts for the development of CNNIC.

As one of the most important pioneers of China’s Internet, Hualin QIAN was engaged in the research and construction of the computer network in his early years. He was the specialist in charge of the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program). In the early 1990s of the 20th Century, Hualin QIAN held the position of technical director of the project of National Computing and Networking Facility of China (NCFC), which was loaned by the World Bank as key discipline project. The demonstration network, which was built by this project, became the embryonic form of China’s Internet. In order for China to access to the global Internet, he as well as the research staff of Chinese Academy of sciences stressed their appeals in the international Internet conference. Finally, China was formally connected to the Internet in April 1994. Besides, Hualin QIAN presided over the establishment of the domain name system of China and the research and development of Chinese domain name system. He was also the first technical liaison of CN, national top level domain.

To brief, Hualin QIAN as well as his team played a key role in the construction of China’s Internet, from the design of the fundamental principles of China’s early Internet, the connection of domain name servers, to the independent R&D of routers.In 2008, he led a team to carry out the 863 project " Hierarchical Switched Network Architecture and Prototype Research" entrusted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, put forward a new generation of Internet architecture, and completed the theoretical research on hierarchical switched network protocols, standards and algorithm. He as well as his team was authorized patent licensing by means of 5 core patents and also granted 2 software copyrights. The independently developed multi-level switch was deployed in the CNGI environment. Over the years he has won technology awards 14 times, like the national and ministrlal prizes for progress in science and technology. In 1998 he won the "prize of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for progress in science and technology" and was ranked the first.

His induction into the 2014 Internet Hall of Fame as Innovator fully demonstrates the recognition and accreditation of the international community on his innovative contributions to the Internet technology and models. Hualin QIAN is also the first Chinese inductee as Innovator since the inception of the Internet Hall of Fame held by ISOC.
Hualin QIAN said, “April 20, 1994 marked the day that China’s Internet attained full-featured access to the global Internet. Twenty years later, China has become the Internet power with the world's largest netizen scale. ” He expressed that his induction into the 2014 Internet Hall of Fame is not only praise of his as well as his team’s achievements, but more importantly is the affirmation of the development and innovation of China’s Internet over the years by the Internet community. He believed that with the maturity of technology and conceptions, the future builders of China’s Internet will make more contributions to the global Internet.

"Internet Hall of Fame" was initiated by ISOC in 2012 with the aim to honor and commemorate outstanding individuals, who have received widely recognition and made important contributions to the development and progress of the Internet. Internet Hall of Fame inductees fall into three categories: Pioneers, Innovators and Global Connectors.