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2009-September-7

Dialogue Between Nations — Speeches by Zhao Qizheng

Dialogue Between Nations — Speeches by Zhao Qizheng

Published by Foreign Languages Press 

Recently, Mr. Zhao Qizheng, Dean of the School of Journalism of Renmin University of China, doctorate advisor and former Minister of the Information Office of the State Council, published his new book: Dialogue Between Nations–Speeches by Zhao Qizheng. A launch ceremony for the book, published by the Foreign Languages Press, was held on September 3 at the Beijing International Book Fair. Mr. Cai Mingzhao, Vice Minister of the Information Office of the State Council, Mr. Zhou Mingwei, President of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), Mr. Huang Youyi, Vice President and editor-in-chief of CIPG, and journalists from various media attended the promotion.

Dialogue Between Nations–Speeches by Zhao Qizheng is a selection of 35 of Zhao Qizheng's speeches and dialogues since 1998. These articles share the theme of public diplomacy and cross-cultural communication, including classic cases of how China has been presented to the world, thorough analysis of international exchanges, and dialogues with renowned international figures. This book not only fully exhibits Zhao Qizheng's passion and knowledge as a new-generation spokesman for the Chinese government with his forthright, open attitude, it also conveys China's basic position of peaceful coexistence, equal exchange with other nations, and active engagement with the international community.

As a "spokesman for the Chinese government," Zhao Qizheng has made brilliant speeches on a wide range of topics, from China-US relations, China-Japan exchanges and China-Russia friendship, to links between Chinese and Jewish peoples, and Pudong's economic development. He has also engaged in in-depth discussions with Shimon Peres, US religious leader Luis Palau, Richard Parsons, former CEO of Time Warner, and Souichiro Tahara, a famous Japanese TV anchorman. With his wit and passion, Zhao Qizheng made unprecedented advances in the work of presenting China to the world and received broad acclaim internationally. He was praised by international media as the "China's Top PR Spokesman," "China's First-rate Orator" and "China's Image Polisher." The New York Times once wrote: "Mr. Zhao is one of a new generation of urbane Chinese officials... Western diplomats have been uniformly impressed by his relative openness." Zhao Qizheng mastered the art of presenting China to the world. After his term of office, he became dean of the school of journalism and was appointed as the spokesman of the Second Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

In fact, this book is far from being Zhao Qizheng's first book. He has published: Presenting China to the World–Speeches and Dialogues of Zhao Qizheng, Presenting China to the World–the Art of Communication of Zhao Qizheng, America and Americans Through Chinese Eyes, Riverside Talks–a Friendly Dialogue Between an Atheist and a Christian (coauthored with Dr. Luis Palau), The Logic of New Pudong – Its Development and Economic Globalization, The Pudong Miracle, One World–101 Topics for Communicating with Foreigners. These books became bestsellers because their themes are closely focused on the hot topics of the international community, full of the author's wit and personal approach, buoyed by his authority. Copyrights for some of his works were bought by foreign publishers, and the books have been translated into multiple languages.

The Foreign Languages Press (FLP), publisher of this new book, has also been for many years dedicated to presenting China to the world, gradually forming its publishing brand. This book is one of the FLP's "People and China" series. This widely acknowledged series includes multi-language biographies of Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, Han Xu, Huang Hua, He Zhenliang and Yuan Longping.

To general readers, this book offers readability, while illuminating different aspects of contemporary Chinese public diplomacy and cultural exchange. Readers can learn how to be more open and dialectical in their communications. For people working in international communications, this book serves as a textbook offering guidance in theory and practice. At the Working Conference on International Communication by the CPC Central Committee held in April 2004, Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Political Bureau, pointed out the "Three Focuses" in international communications: to focus on cultivating world opinion favorable to China, on fostering China's positive image, and on protecting state security and stability. He also pointed out the "Three Bases": on the basis of China's development reality, of international audiences' need for information on China, and of understanding foreigners' ways of thinking. Judged by the above standards, there is no doubt that Dialogue Between Nations–Speeches by Zhao Qizheng will become a "core textbook" worth repeated reading for people working in international communications.