Preface of China in the Eyes of International Celebrities

The report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC states: “The world is undergoing major developments, transformation, and adjustment, but peace and development remain the call of our day. We call on the people of all countries to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.” The purpose of publishing the China in the Eyes of International Celebrities by Beijing Publishing Group is not only to present a comprehensive and systematic introduction and commemoration of international friends who made great contributions to the establishment of the PRC, but also to “remain true to our original aspirations and bear in mind our missions”, make more international friends by inheriting the old generation of international friends’ spirit of internationalism, allowing more foreigners to tell the stories of China, demonstrate China’s development today on the global stage, and tell the truth about China to the world in the new era of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Beijing Publishing Group’s China in the Eyes of International Celebrities series includes works by famous international friends from many countries. In the 20th century, these authors personally witnessed the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the New Democratic Revolution, and the socialist construction in New China. By depicting their personal experience of participating in the China’s revolution and development, they gave a profound explanation that the history and the Chinese people made a right choice by selecting the CPC as the leadership and guiding force in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics pioneered by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC is correct, and the CPC and the Chinese people adopt the right strategy of taking root in the land of China, absorb the excellent achievements of human civilization, and achieve national development independently. These are the paths and principles we must never waiver. Now reading again these classic works written by our international friends, we will be more acutely aware of the fact that only by continuing to work hard and seek innovation and reform can we remain true to our original aspirations and keep forging ahead in the new era of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Many international friends recorded in Beijing Publishing Group’s China in the Eyes of International Celebrities series still have a huge impact on the people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. 80 years ago, these international friends transcended the cultural and ideological differences to describe the real situation of China back then to the world. They told the truth of the revolutionary base areas led by the CPC to the world, described the true picture of China, and let the world set its sights on China. Snow and others did it 80 years ago. Today, it is even more necessary for us to explain to the world about China’s peaceful development and let the world see China in a more friendly way. Different countries and people have different views about China at different times. Today’s China should, with a more open mind, try to guide all sides to objectively and rationally view China’s development and international role. Now, it is inevitable that more and more foreigners come to China and even integrate into China. We believe that different civilizations can coexist in harmony and help each other as long as we uphold the spirit of inclusiveness, promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, enhance the friendship of peoples of all countries, promote human progress, and maintain world peace through exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

On April 20, 2017, President Xi Jinping stressed in his letter to International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) and Beijing BaiLie University: I hope you will carry forward Rewi Alley’s industrial cooperative spirit of “work, and work together”, actively carry out international cultural exchanges, and write a new chapter in international friendship, making new contributions to the promotion of world peace and development and the building of a community with shared future for mankind. Alley founded ICCIC with Soong Ching Ling and Edgar Snow, sharing joys and woes with Chinese people. Alley worked in China for 60 years and made important contributions to supporting the Chinese revolution and socialist construction, building a bridge of friendship connecting Chinese people and New Zealand people. These people in our shared memories have always been the key players in building platforms of people-to-people exchanges, because history will not forget those who contribute to the peace and friendship of humanity. When President Xi Jinping addressed the State Banquet at the Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen of Great Britain, he particularly mentioned a British journalist named George Hogg, who was actively engaged in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. He not only wrote articles revealing the atrocities of Japanese aggressors, but also worked as the principal of Shaanxi Shuangshipu BaiLie School, making the ultimate sacrifice at a young age for helping move students to safety. In recent years, in the St. George’s School where George Hogg studied, and Oundle School where Joseph Needham attended, the essay competition co-sponsored by Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding and China Center for Edgar Snow Studies, Peking University has been held three times. These high school students in the UK began to understand today’s China through writing essay. In the United States, Professor Kennedy from Snow’s hometown will begin a global itinerant exhibition of the 80th anniversary of the publishing of Red Star Over China; a large exhibition with the theme of Smedley studies prepared by expert on China studies Professor Stephen R. MacKinnon will also be held in Peking University Library.

In Beijing Publishing Group’s China in the Eyes of International Celebrities series, we also specially asked university students to interview some international friends and their children, and then edited and published the Fulfilling Dream in China: Record of China-U.S. People-to-People Exchange in Chinese and English, telling the stories of 20 Americans in China. In an interview with the students, William Brown said, “I never thought that I could live such a happy life in China.” Jeffrey Lehman said, “Working in China feels like home.” John Thornton said, “I have spent more and more time in China in the past 10 years. If I can have a positive impact on both sides, it will constitute an ideal cause.” Mark Levine said: “Don’t think the Chinese dream is only a matter for the Chinese people. I love China, so of course I have a Chinese dream too.” We must tell the stories of China, promote people-to-people exchanges among different civilizations, especially youth exchanges, work hard to enable young people to play a major role in non-governmental diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges. In 2011, a student art troupe from Southern Utah University at Helen Foster Snow’s hometown performed a massive song and dance drama The Dream of Helen Foster Snow in Wuhan. In 2014, it held a concert with Chinese Music Institute, presenting a brilliant performance containing the musical features of China and the West.

President Xi Jinping said: “The Chinese dream has historical roots, is based on reality, and looks to the future; it belongs to our generation, but also to the young generation. The Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will eventually be realized thanks to the hard work of the young generations.” In this new era, new characteristics of China-foreign relations are emerging, placing new requirements on the goals and contents of people-to-people exchanges. People-to-people exchanges are not just conducted to gain understanding and respect from the world, but also to provide guidance to people of all countries so we can go in the same direction for the lasting peace and development of the world. Reading Beijing Publishing Group’s China in the Eyes of International Celebrities series can help us better understand what “Amity between the people holds the key to state-to-state relations” means. I sincerely wish that the great spirit of the international friends will last forever, so that the Chinese people and the people of the world will have lasting friendship!


Sun Hua
June 2018, Beijing