Crossing the River - A Chinese Government Official Spokesperson's Experiences in the United States

Author: Wang Yongping / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The launch of Beijing Capital International Airport was full of twists and turns, with sunshine shining brightly and the sky clear as a blue sheet. A silver-white Boeing 747 plane, accompanied by a tremendous roar, lifted off the runway and soared into the blue sky, heading toward the other side of the Pacific Ocean—the United States of America. This was November 24, 2005, an ordinary flight day with no particular significance. In the spacious and bright cabin, a group of special passengers were traveling—31 government spokespersons from various ministries, commissions, and provinces and cities, organized by the State Council Information Office of China for a visit to the United States. They would represent the news spokesperson team of Chinese government departments for the first time in a communication and research exchange. Most of the delegation members were government officials with rich professional knowledge and practical experience, and the group was led by Zhao Shouyi, Director of the State Council Information Office. As the spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways, I accompanied the delegation on this visit. Most members of the group had visited the United States before, some even living and working there for extended periods, and they had thorough research and in-depth understanding of the country. However, for me, this was the first time stepping onto the Western Hemisphere—the world's only superpower. It was a land full of the unknown and anticipation for me, despite the countless sources of information I had gathered about it, whether praised or criticized. But how was it in reality? Only by setting foot, by observing with my own eyes, and by listening with my own ears could I gain a more comprehensive, rational, and objective understanding. At this moment, I recalled the two lines of poetry by Chairman Mao Zedong, who opened the door to Sino-U.S. relations: "With cold eyes, we gaze at the world; with warm winds, we sprinkle rain over the land." We would cross the ocean with specific research topics, piercing through layers of fog to truly examine this dominant power in the Western world.
The China Airlines Boeing 747 is a large, double-decker aircraft capable of carrying over 400 passengers. It offers superior stability during flight, and with the seats properly adjusted, passengers can easily enter a state of comfort and relaxation. However, our hearts could not be at ease at this moment. Flying from Beijing, China, to New York, U.S., a distance of approximately 10,000 kilometers, with a flight time of 13 hours, the journey was delayed by more than five months to complete this spatial and temporal transition.
China is an ancient civilization, and it is believed that the term "news" existed as early as the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty poet Li Xian once wrote: "I have long abandoned my old farming and fishing life, but now I often talk about the achievements of war." Does this mean that China's history of journalism is a thousand or two thousand years ahead of that of the Western world? However, China's establishment of the news spokesperson system came much later compared to developed Western countries. As China moves toward greater openness, it has shown a willingness to learn from and exchange with countries that have experience and achievements in the establishment and improvement of the news spokesperson system, especially the United States, which has a relatively mature set of systems and operational mechanisms in this regard. Without hesitation, we need to absorb more ideological and artistic elements to enrich and perfect ourselves.
Thus, the U.S. academic institutions quickly extended olive branches, with Harvard University being the most proactive and sincere. Harvard University is a world-class institution in the United States and globally, renowned for its abundant academic achievements and unique teaching style in journalism, having cultivated a large number of outstanding talents in the fields of media and government public relations. During discussions between Harvard University and the State Council Information Office of China, both sides quickly formed a cooperative intention.
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