By ISRAEL EPSTEIN, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

 

Israel Epstein on the Great Wall.

It is an honor and a pleasure for me to join in celebrating the 50th anniversary of China Today, born in 1952 as China Reconstructs.

Then, the People's Republic of China was a new, bright star in the galaxy of the world's nations, the significance of which many of the world's forces tried to dim. Our magazine, founded by Soong Ching Ling (Mme. Sun Yat-Sen), the Republic's Vice-Chairman, in her long-standing capacity as head of the China Welfare Institute, was not the only foreign language periodical through which new China told of itself to friends abroad, in the face of a chorus of hostile, prejudiced propaganda from many governments and commercial media. But it was the sole journal published by a non-governmental organization, which, on a people-to-people basis, besides political or specialized reporting, could also help specifically concerned readers gain a more accurate understanding of those fields, and was one they could take home to their families and get an interesting, living picture of the progressive changes in China as reflected in the lives, work, outlook and feelings of its ordinary men, women and children at the grass roots.

Soong Ching Ling, with her decades of international experience in writing about the ups and downs of the Chinese people's struggles for a better life and society, in which she was for decades continually active, was particularly suited to run such a publication, and was also eminently suitable by virtue of her bi-cultural and bi-lingual education. She wrote fluently in English, could speak and read several other foreign languages, and had friends and an admired reputation for probity in many lands. In the almost thirty years of involvement with our journal until her death, she wrote dozens of articles which enriched and ornamented its content. Yet nothing was further from her mind than regarding it as a vehicle for personal fame. She encouraged contributions by outstandingly qualified authors from different spheres of the nation's society, and accurate field reporting by our own staff. She was also keen on our maintaining warm and attentive contact with readers, and on promoting our circulation, to the extent of personally penning addresses on the envelopes in which they were sent to her acquaintances abroad, and writing to them for opinions and suggestions on its articles, graphics, and how to increase subscribers.

Leaders of new China's state and government valued our magazine from the start:

Chairman Mao Zedong said, "China Reconstructs speaks through facts. This is what we should do in our publicity for abroad."

Premier Zhou Enlai, at whose urging Soong Ching Ling started the magazine, wrote that it should report on the great achievements of new China by presenting its socialist construction through the lives of its people.

Senior leader Deng Xiaoping expressed appreciation on other occasions.

President Jiang Zemin greeted us on our fortieth anniversary, and has written a special letter for this -- the fiftieth.

Former Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Chen Yi said, "Facts are irrefutable, only truth can convince. China Reconstructs, introducing our real circumstances to friends worldwide, contributes to world peace."

Fifty years is a long life for a magazine. One of our advantages has been the loyal devotion of older readers. Also of our longtime staff - from their working years till after retirement, and regardless of whether they are here or abroad, as some are now. The same is true of many foreign friends who have worked as language experts with us at various periods.

Today, times have moved on. Technically, in aspects such as transition from black and white to overall color printing, we are keeping up with the times, also in our wide use of Internet transmission.

Israel Epstein at a session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

However, we have shortcomings to overcome. These are the quality and appeal of our content, and contact with and expansion of our readership abroad -- especially the younger generation. They, particularly, should know the story of new China's fifty years right up to the present, this country that contains one fifth of the world's population that is moving forward at an unprecedented pace, as it is as important to their friendship and peace as it is to ours here. Our reporting, editing and promotion of circulation -- all three, should be in tune with China's growing position in the world and the wide interest in it that exists, but which her voice does not yet sufficiently reach, with much prejudiced or false information still flowing into the breach.

We must let our readers know our successes and problems, how the Chinese people are moving ahead in their lives and views, what they are reading and seeing in the visual arts, how they view themselves and the world scene, what issues are debated, and how the advance of scientific and general education is affecting everyone.

Only thus can we constantly reduce the gap between China's ever-increasing importance in the world and prevalent conceptions about it - as well as expose many misconceptions and outright falsehoods still muddying the waters of perception abroad.

May China Today, in the 21st century, work for more closeness between countries and people, based on deeper mutual understanding, and so for peace and progress for all.