Shenzhen demonstrated its experience and success to other cities of China in the early days of opening up and reform.

China's reform and opening, which started in 1978, is its second revolution. It is closely linked with the destiny of every Chinese citizen, and has greatly promoted the country's development. As a result, the overall strength of China has been greatly enhanced, and it now ranks seventh in the world economy. China Today has paid close attention to this revolution, and has published articles at its every stage. Many readers abroad get to know about China's reform and opening through reading our magazine.

Contract Output Quotas to Households

The contract responsibility system, started in rural areas in the late 1970s, was the prelude to China's reform and opening. It was rural reform that set China's economy on to a course of healthy and rapid development. At that time, this magazine sent its staff reporters to cover rural reform in Anhui Province, the place earliest to institute the contract system.

"You asked me what a production team leader does under the new system," Chen said. "First let me tell you how it was before. Just assigning daily chores and getting team members to go out to the fields and do the work was a big headache. Every night I would have to figure out what had to be done next day and which team member would do what; otherwise workdays were a mess. Each morning we used to sound a bell to call members to the field. Sometimes nobody would show up even after the bell was rung twice."

"You don't have to use the bell any more, do you?" I asked.

"No. Now each household works out its own tasks and hours of work, and I don't have to keep after them. But in some ways I am busier than ever, and can concentrate more on real leadership tasks."

Chen went on to tell me some of the things he does. At the beginning of the year, he is responsible for working out the terms for each household contract. He has to keep track of overall team production of grains, cotton, oils, pigs, eggs and poultry, and when necessary encourage households to fulfill their contracted quota. Part of his job is explaining government policies and rules to team members, and reporting their suggestions and demands to higher levels of government.

A large part of his responsibilities involve the collective welfare of the team. Besides helping to determine rational allocations of water and buffalo, Chen leads team members in learning and applying scientific farming techniques. He works out team assignments for collective undertakings such as farmland capital construction, water conservation projects and sideline industries; the tasks vary according to the farming season. He takes a leading role in educating families about hygiene and birth control. When families have difficulties completing their farm work because of illness or other causes, he finds ways of helping them. Finally, he is frequently called upon to mediate family and neighborhood disputes.

(From "Report from Anhui: Team Leader on New Contract System" by Deng Shulin, November 1981)

Changes in Livelihood

Dalian, a coastal city in North China, developed into a modern metropolis during the process of opening and reform.

The late Premier Zhou Enlai set the principle of reporting -- that it should be within the scope of socialist construction, and that people's lives should be the content. This magazine has followed this principle for 50 years, forming its characteristics so as to reflect social and economic issues through coverage of people's lives. In the late 1980s this magazine carried a series entitled "Road of Life," recording the life experiences of 24 ordinary inhabitants from birth, right through childhood and youth to middle and old age.

In Chinese society it is difficult to take two broken families and mold them together into one unified whole. Family ties are so strong that members are very dependent on each other. This means that a second marriage on the part of a parent can sometimes be viewed by the family as a threat to its unity.

Before our wedding, we came to two agreements: to begin with, we would keep our two original homes exactly as they were, taking turns to live first in one, then the other. This way, our children could stay where they were. Second, we decided that both sets of children should not have to call us "Mom" or "Dad," a traditional must for stepchildren in Chinese society. Even now, they address us "uncle" or "aunt."

(From "Road of Life: Building Life at 60" by Shen Suru, August 1989)

Another series, entitled "Beijing People Start Their Day," which could be called a sister series to "Road of Life," was also very much appreciated by readers. Just as a reader from Iran wrote in his letter to our magazine, "The articles on the life of ordinary citizens in the January 1986 issue are very compelling. They indicate that your magazine strives to be a mirror that reflects the realities of China." This series consists of five articles. The following is an excerpt from an article by a retired worker.

I am usually one of the earliest. We're mostly retired workers, and a lot are real old Beijingers, you can tell from the accent.

Before I retired, I worried a lot about leaving the colleagues I had worked with for so many years and about being idle at home. I am lucky, I have a son, daughter-in-law and fine grandson. But we don't have three generations under one roof, Chinese style, because of a shortage of housing. I'd be bored staying at home all day. Fortunately, I've met a lot of other retired men at the park and quickly made friends. It doesn't make any difference who was a sophisticated professor, a government official, or an ordinary worker, we're all brothers in our little world of the street park.

(From "Beijing People Start Their Day: A Senior Citizen Keeps Fit" by Rao Jiulin, January 1986)

Series Report on Reform

Pudong marks China's accelerated drive towards opening up and reform and its phenomenal achievements.

From the 1980s to the early 1990s, this magazine published the "Yangtze River" series and the "Provinces, Municipalities and Autonomous Regions" series, systematically reporting on China's 30 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions (Chongqing had not been designated as a municipality at that time). The content of this reportage was mainly the basic conditions, characteristics, economic development, and tourist resources of various regions. After reading these reports, some foreign firms went on to invest in these regions.

In 1998, to mark the 20th anniversary of China's reform and opening, this magazine carried a series covering the reforms. The following is an excerpt from one such article.

(Liu Guixian, now 65, never imagined that she would be the first self-employed Beijinger in the food and beverage industry, but that was the case when she opened her restaurant in the early days of reform and opening 18 years ago. Today, such establishments can be seen all over the city, but hers was the first.)

The restaurant was opened in my house and my family members worked as waiters and waitresses. At that time, it was hard to run a restaurant. The first problem was money. To open, we borrowed several hundred yuan, an enormous sum for us. What would we do if the restaurant lost money? That fear remains even today. The second problem was getting meat, eggs, fish and vegetables, for they were rationed under the planned economy and were not available on the market. To get them, I had to get up early and go out of Beijing.

As the first private restaurant, we attracted many Chinese and foreign reporters. Ambassadors and diplomatic staff from 74 countries have dined here. At that time, it was not easy to get a table in my restaurant. Once someone booked 48 days in advance!

I saved to expand our business. Now I have two restaurants. Taxes and donations were the largest expenses. Now my dream is to buy a delivery car so that our customers can enjoy a good and cheap meal at home.

(From "The Life of the Chinese II: Real Life Stories -- Self-Employed Entrepreneur" by Liu Guixian, December 1998)

Panchen Lama on Tibet

Cover of the November 1965 issue showing the son of an emancipated serf in Tibet.

Tibet is a provincial-level unit, no different from any other provincial-level unit. However, with its special history and geographical position, it has been the focus of world attention for many years. Since the founding of this magazine, we have paid close attention to Tibet, covering each important event and issue, such as the suppression of the upper-class rebels in 1959, the 40th anniversary of Tibet's democratic reform, the 50th anniversary of its peaceful liberation, and the dramatic changes in Tibetan people's economic and cultural lives. Our reports on the Panchen Lama, such as "Lhasa Revisited," "A Visit to the Panchen Lama," "Panchen Lama: A Pastoral Visit to the Kang Region," "Panchen Lama: On 'Tibetan Independence'," "In Memoriam: The Panchen Lama" and "The Search for the Great Living Buddha" have also been warmly received. The following is a speech made by the tenth Panchen Lama and published in this magazine.

I wish to tell those people abroad who are trying to create a "Tibet question" that some of the problems they raise have never existed; others have occurred in varying degrees, but they are either in process of being solved or are already settled. The present policy of the Central Government on Tibet is a good one. Our people are satisfied. Everyone is busy building. I would suggest to these people, Chinese or otherwise, that they criticize less and be more helpful. Tibet is a poor place. The financial subsidy to Tibet from the Central Government has amounted to 12 billion yuan between 1952 and now. Vice-chairman Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme and I have set up a Tibet Development Aid Fund to speed up economic development. Why don't all those who feel so strongly about Tibet chip in and help? I have spoken to Tibetan compatriots who live abroad. They are proud of the number of university students that have been trained there. I tell them that if they really love their native land, they should come back and join in the efforts to build it up. We already have four universities in Tibet, which produce several hundred graduates each year, but that is still far from enough. We welcome all those abroad who wish to return.

China Today gives a full picture of the various ethnic groups in China, their dress and customs.

But we must make things quite clear: there are no high salaries here. If they come back, they must live and work just like the ordinary Tibetan and Han intellectuals, eating glutinous rice cakes and living in ordinary dwellings. Many people are working hard on the Tibetan high plateau to make it a better place for all. Only good-for-nothings are shameless enough to demonstrate in the streets and write slanderous articles criticizing others, from the comfort of their foreign homes and with stomachs full of meat and wine. We Tibetans say such people are like the "old man who criticizes another's shooting."

(From "Tibetans on Tibet": "Panchen Lama On 'Tibetan Independence'" January 1988)

Witnessing the Return of Hong Kong and Macao

In the 1840s, the British colonialists exported opium to China that damaged both the Chinese people's bodies and spirit. They also used guns to open the door to China, and gradually occupied Hong Kong. The Chinese people and government did not recognize the unequal treaty imposed on China, and waged ceaseless struggle for the recovery of Hong Kong, but in old China, this was but a dream. On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong returned to the embrace of the motherland, and a century-long humiliation was wiped out. For many years, this magazine has kept a close watch on the changes that have occurred in Hong Kong, and published numerous reports. In 1997, it opened a special column introducing the background to the Hong Kong issue.

September 24, 1982: Deng Xiaoping discusses the Chinese government's decision to resume its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 at his meeting in Beijing with visiting British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Hong Kong issue lasted only 15 minutes, but the course of negotiations was long and arduous. A staff reporter witnessed the

ceremony and wrote an article. The following is an excerpt.

In a silence broken only by the clicking of press photographers' cameras, Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher signed the historic Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. The date was December 19, the place Beijing's Great Hall of the People. Immediately afterward warm applause erupted from the 101 Hong Kong notables from many walks of life who had come to the capital especially for the signing ceremony.

A complex historical problem that had remained open for over a century was thus finally resolved amid toasts and mutual congratulations between Chinese and British leaders. The Joint Declaration guarantees that China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, and also lays a reliable foundation for the territory's long-term stability and prosperity.

Prime Minister Thatcher commended the concept of "one country, two systems" which was the key to resolution of the Hong Kong question, and noted that she was particularly pleased by the presence at the signing of Chairman Deng Xiaoping, the originator of the idea.

(From "Hong Kong Accord Signed -- A Pledge to the Future" by Wang Yongyao, March 1985)

Not long after these talks on the recovery of Hong Kong, the return of Macao was added to the agenda. The Macao issue differs from that of Hong Kong. The Portuguese occupied Macao gradually, but China always had total sovereignty over it. This magazine has followed the issue closely, and sent its reporters to Macao before its return, on the occasion of the hand-over ceremony, and on the second anniversary of its return. The following is an excerpt from our article on the hand-over ceremony.

On the morning of December 20, 1999, in Macao's streets people could see China's national flags, Macao's regional flags, "returning swallows," and lanterns everywhere.

The 500-year-old A-Ma Temple was crowded with people. ... The Marine Museum to the east of A-Ma Temple was where the Portuguese first landed. Workers set to replace the old emblem that had been there for centuries. ... It was a sleepless night for Macao.

From "Macao Returns Home" by Li Fugen, February 2000)

Concern About Progress in Democracy

Since China adopted the policy of reform and opening, the construction of political power has seen rapid progress. The roles of the people's congresses and the people's political consultative conferences have been brought into full play. The National People's Congress exercises fully its function as the highest organ of political power, and has accelerated its progress in democracy. This magazine has sent reporters to each session of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since the 1980s. The following is an excerpt from the July 1988 issue.

More and more Chinese have come to realize that the country's socialist modernization cannot develop without a corresponding development of socialist democracy. They are also gratified to see the signs of a sometimes slow, but steady, movement in this direction....

In previous NPC sessions, as a rule, every resolution and decision was passed unanimously and with little debate. In this year's session, not a single resolution went through in this way, and the same was true of the selection of state leaders. Some deputies voted no or abstained on the question of accepting the government work report, which is a major focus of the NPC sessions. All this was a first in the new China.

On March 28, the NPC delegates were voting on the membership of seven special committees. On the first four committees, some abstentions were registered but the atmosphere was fairly calm. When it came time to vote for the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Public Health, however, Huang Shunxing -- a Taiwan province native -- declared his view that the candidate for chairman of the committee was too old for the job, especially when China was stressing the promotion of younger people to leading posts. Another deputy stood up to demand that a professional medical person be added to the committee. The candidates were eventually elected, but there were eight no votes and 69 abstentions.

......

Ye Xuanping (son of Ye Jianying, a revolutionary leader and late chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC. Age 63, he served as vice-governor of Guangdong province from 1980 and is now governor.) said,

Governors should not be afraid of being criticized. Hearing criticism and suggestions is an important way to know the people's opinions. Our image won't be damaged if we speak out truthfully. Instead, we gain understanding and trust from the masses. Many things can be solved through democratic consultation.

We have had a much livelier NPC meeting than ever before. Of course there is room for improvement, such as in election procedures. But we are truly working toward being democratic.

(From "National People's Congress: Democracy in Progress" by Deng Shulin and Xu Yaoping, July 1988)

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China

The founding of the People's Republic of China marked the beginning of a new era. As Mao Zedong put it, "The Chinese people have stood up." The year 1999 marked the 50th anniversary of new China. In order to report on its celebration, the editorial board planned one year in advance, and opened a column "Fifty Years Traversed," consisting of articles written by those born the same year as the People's Republic, telling their life stories. Israel Epstein, the editor-in-chief emeritus, wrote an article entitled "The New China and I: Looking Back and Forward." The following is an excerpt.

The pace and extent of China's advances -- economic, technological, and in the life of its people -- has been truly dramatic. In old China, when I was growing up, practically nothing made of steel was internally produced -- even pen nibs and thumbtacks had to be imported from Britain or Germany. Petroleum products, known as "foreign oil," were mainly bought from abroad as were safety matches, dubbed "foreign fire." Today, China is the world's top producer of steel, coal, grain, and textiles, and is among the "top ten" of many other commodities, including petrochemicals. Especially during the past 20 years, under the reform policies, pioneered by Deng Xiaoping, people's lives have improved. Electric power and domestic appliances have appeared in their homes. Not long ago, televisions were mostly black-and-white and watched in public places. Now on average, there is one set per family, usually color, and increasingly wide-screen. Electric washing machines are now found in nine-tenths of all urban households; refrigerators in 76 percent; private telephones, once regarded as marks of rank and influence, in 64 percent; and air conditioners in 20 percent. Personal computers, now found in only 4 percent of urban households, are increasing very quickly. Car ownership, still small, is on the rise. Most of these items are purchased with cash, out of savings that have risen many-fold. In all these categories, "Made in China" is the prevailing label, and some brands of durables are entering foreign markets.

These are just samplings from a galaxy of positive gains. But there are also problems and difficulties: corruption, a decline in ideals and ethics, displacement of workers by technology, adjustments on the welfare system, and the environmental ills that accompany economic advance. Major foreign media dwell on these negative points almost exclusively, while steps undertaken by China to overcome them are ignored or understated.

(From "The New China and I: Looking Back and Forward" by Israel Epstein, December 1999)

Greeting the Success of WTO Entry

The summit meeting of (from the left) British, American, Chinese, French and Russian leaders in September 2000.

Joining the WTO means that China's reform and opening has entered a new stage, marking a turning point in China's social and economic development. Like all Chinese people, we have closely followed each step of China's entry into the WTO.

As China's WTO membership bid enters its final stage after 15 years of negotiation, however, the Chinese people now have a better understanding of the situation and of China's obligations as a WTO member. In recent years, experts and scholars have shown deep concern about the changes China is bound to undergo in such fields as policy-making, law, marketing, and human resources after it joins the WTO. Their advice is that China should make optimum preparations in order to meet the challenges generated by its WTO entry, and it is obvious that the Chinese people, especially government officials and scholars, are now in a state of down-to-earth deliberation and not the flights of fancy of the early days.

(From "China Prepares for Its WTO Entry" by Yi Da, November 2001)