China has opened part of its diplomatic archives to the public,
a move widely regarded as a sign of progress to increase the
country's diplomatic transparency.
The first batch of diplomatic files declassified was mainly
concerning China's diplomacy between 1949 and 1955, said Lian
Zhengbao, director-general of the Archives of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
The 4,545 documents opened to the public include telegraphs
about the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and
the former Soviet Union, along with other countries, and directives
and speeches drafted by former Premier Zhou Enlai, then the foreign
minister. There are also documents about Geneva and Asia-Africa
conferences, and files and materials on consular matters, protocol
and legal affairs, Lian said.
Citizens and organizations interested in reading the files are
required to apply to the archives some 20 work days in advance.
Besides valid identification cards, foreigners need to take forms
of approval from their embassy or consulate in China.
Li Jiasong, former director-general of the archives, said the
declassification of these documents is an indication of social
progress and the country?reaching out?to the outside
world.
"It is not easy to take the first step," Li said, adding that
the declassification process has taken the ministry years to
prepare.
Qu Xing, deputy president of the Beijing Foreign Affairs
College, said the declassification will not only benefit academic
research but help the public understand more about the government's
foreign policy.
Isogawa Tomoyoshi, China general bureau chief of Japan's Asahi
Shimbun, was one of the early foreign viewers of the declassified
files.
"We all know that China and Japan stabilized relations in 1972.
I learned from these files that the effort actually started as
early as 1954 when China sent its Red Cross team to Japan," he
said.
(China Daily January 20, 2004)