Congratulatory
Telegrams and Letters (II)
From China Welfare Institute:
On the occasion of China Today's 50th anniversary,
we would like to extend our sincere congratulations and good
wishes to the entire staff of China Today.
Fifty years ago, Mme Soong Ching Ling took
up Premier Zhou Enlai's suggestion and founded your magazine,
naming it China Reconstructs. In the 30 years from 1951 to 1981,
she devoted her energies to each facet of this multi-language
magazine, from its editorial principle to its distribution,
and from the quality of its articles to its readership, having
personally written more than 20 articles and letters. For many
years, she took the time every month to pen the addresses on
envelopes in which the magazine was sent to her acquaintances
abroad, so as to expand its influence. She adhered to the principle
of "speaking through facts," truthfully reporting
on the construction achievements of new China, and improvements
to its people's livelihood.
Over the past 50 years, China Today has followed
the editorial principle set by Soong Ching Ling, and made positive
contributions towards conveying the true image of new China,
expanding cultural exchanges between China and other countries,
and promoting friendship between the Chinese people and those
of the countries of the world.
China Today has braved the storms of half
a century, and played a special role in international communications,
and has become an integral part of the China Welfare Institute
founded by Soong Ching Ling.
We sincerely hope that China Today, after
50 glorious years, will meet new challenges and scale new heights
with a fresh outlook.
From Soong Ching Ling Foundation:
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of
the founding of China Today, we would like to extend our warm
congratulations to the entire staff of China Today.
China Today was founded in January 1952 by
Mme Soong Ching Ling, honorary president of the People's Republic
of China, at the suggestion of late Premier Zhou Enlai, and
was China's first general-interest, multi-language magazine
for overseas readers. Over the past 50 years, China Today has
adhered to a correct editorial principle and guidance of public
opinion, as well as patriotism and internationalism advocated
by Soong Ching Ling. You warmly sing the praises of the Chinese
people, truthfully record the historic process of Chinese revolution,
construction, reform and development, and make important contributions
to conveying a positive image of socialist China. This all goes
towards promoting understanding and friendship between the Chinese
people and those of the countries of the world. The 50 years
of China Today are a crystallization of 50 years of pioneering
work, 50 years of steadily forging ahead, 50 years of moving
towards integrating with the world, and 50 years of development.
Your glory and achievements are an embodiment of the concern
of three generations of central leaders, the emotions of the
people of the entire country, and the hard work of several generations
of your staff.
Soong Ching Ling and China Today magazine
have profound historic origins, and the Soong Ching Ling Foundation
and China Today magazine are like sister ships; both of us regard
the accomplishment of Soong Ching Ling's unfilled tasks as our
mission. In the years to come, we will, as always, cooperate
closely with you and join hands in seeking common development.
We sincerely hope that China Today will continue
to fulfill the guidelines on journalism as set down by the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China headed by Comrade
Jiang Zemin, continue the fine traditions set by Soong Ching
Ling, advance by virtue of the basic experience accumulated
over the past 50 years, keep abreast of the times, and make
new achievements.
From Brid Ijaz-ud-Din Khan, President of
All Pakistan-China Friendship Association:
It gives me a great pleasure to congratulate
China Today on its golden jubilee, thus completing 50 years
of successful and informative publishing.
I came across this magazine in 1969 while
visiting China, and since then I have been an avid and devoted
reader. The magazine has always carried useful, informative
and constructive information about our friendly country. Your
pictorial coverage is of a high standard, its pictures always
conveying information of great significance.
Articles in the magazine have covered almost
all walks of life in China, depicting the struggles of a great
people to achieve self-sufficiency and national development.
I congratulate the president and editor-in-chief
of China Today and his staff for their excellent presentation
of a magazine of high quality and brilliant coverage, and wish
them all the best for years to come.
From H. D. Deve Gowda, Former Prime Minister
of India:
I am very happy to learn that China Today
has completed a half a century of its function of disseminating
information on China.
China Today, a monthly magazine published
by the China Welfare Institute in English, Spanish, French,
Arabic and Chinese, was launched on January 20th, 1952. I convey
my hearty congratulations and best wishes on the eve of its
50th anniversary to all friends who have served and who are
still serving the magazine on their valuable and useful contributions.
I am confident that China Today will continue
to inform and educate on China, thus helping to create a true
understanding and accurate perception of this great country,
and further the growth of its friendship and cooperation with
all countries.
I wish the best always to China Today.
From Rodolphe Adada, Congolese Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation:
A brand-new era is opening its arms to us.
The mutual understanding and support between peoples of various
countries in the world will help build a beautiful future.
Communication has become a main means of achieving
this goal.
While congratulating you on the occasion of
your 50th anniversary, I sincerely hope that China Today will
continue to serve as a bridge linking China with readers abroad.
Meanwhile, we cherish the memory of Mme Soong
Ching Ling, honorary president of the People's Republic of China
and founder of China Today magazine.
Please accept my highest praise and commendations.
From Dominique Mbango, Director of the
General Office of the General Secretary of the Congolese Party
of Labor:
I am a reader of China Today, and began to
read your magazine when it was called China Reconstructs.
I used to work on your counterpart, serving
as editor-in-chief of a newspaper that has since suspended publication.
The two names of the magazine reflect the
different realities of society, politics and economy.
An era and its realities determine the nature,
content and form of a publication.
The change of name is therefore a historic
necessity.
China Today magazine is the product of a
rapidly developing China, that is advancing along the track
of modernization.
Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of
the founding of China Today!
Finally, I hope your magazine might open
a new column "witness to the magic of China."
From Dr. Erich Buttenhauser, Austrian Ambassador
to China:
Allow me to congratulate you on the 50th
anniversary of China Today!
China Today (formerly China Reconstructs)
was founded not long after the founding of the People's Republic
of China. The long history of this magazine is closely linked
with the history of the People's Republic of China, as the change
of its name indicates.
I started to work at the Austrian embassy
in China in the late 1970s, having been offered the chance to
get to know this fascinating country. About three years ago
I returned to Beijing to serve as ambassador, and am now experiencing
the great economic and social progress China has made in the
past decades. Today, based on its political influence and potential
economic strength, China is a factor in maintaining stability
in the international community. Its status is indubitably consolidated.
Since May 28, 1971, bilateral relations between
Austria and China have developed smoothly and consistently.
Facts have shown that China Today (formerly
China Reconstructs) is a truthful record of China's development.
People firmly believe that the magazine will continue to contribute
to promoting understanding of China in the world, and especially
the mutual understanding between the Chinese people and peoples
of the world.
From Dominique Dreyer, Swiss Ambassador
to China:
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of
the founding of China Today, I would like to take this opportunity
to praise the important role it has played in international
communications. Over the past 50 years China Today has provided
an important channel for overseas readers to discover the latest
developments in China. The changes that have taken place over
the past few years exceed in significance those of the previous
100, and China Today's vivid articles, reporting on the realities
of new China, reflect them. To provide timely coverage of current
events, China Today has also adopted the latest medium: the
Internet.
Here I express my heartfelt congratulations
to China Today on its 50th anniversary, and wish it greater
success in the coming years.