Two decades have passed since China and Japan jointly launched hydrological & climatological observations on the glaciers in Tanggula Pass, Tibetan Plateau. Although the research institutions involved have been either restructured or renamed, their work, between 1989 and 1993, was ground-breaking and remains significant even to this day. Some observation sites established at that time are still utilized for large-scaled projects sponsored by GAME/Tibet, NSFC (Natural Science Foundation of China) and the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program). Recentiy, a glacier monitoring system has been established on the cap of Dongkemadi Glacier, and is expected to make further contributions to research on the change of the cryospheric and climatic environment in the area.