MY NEW BOOK: Zhao Qizheng, former Minister of the State Council Information Office autographs his new book, Dialogue Between Nations—Speeches by Zhao Qizheng, for his readers (LIU HONGYU)

Zhao Qizheng, former Minister of the State Council Information Office recently wrote a new book: Dialogue Between Nations—Speeches by Zhao Qizheng, which was published by Foreign Languages Press.

"My new book aims to show English readers China's enthusiasm for carrying out public diplomacy," Zhao said at the launch ceremony for the book at the Beijing International Book Fair on September 3.

"The book is a balanced and broad selection of 35 of Zhao's speeches and dialogues since 1998," said Huang Youyi, Vice President and editor in chief of China International Publishing Group, at the ceremony. "With simple language and a storytelling style favored by overseas readers, these speeches embody a clear-cut personal style of Zhao."

The collections share the theme of public diplomacy and cross-cultural communication, including cases of how China has been presented to the world, analysis of international exchanges, and dialogues with renowned international figures. The book not only fully exhibits Zhao's passion and knowledge as a new-generation spokesman for the Chinese Government with his forthright, open attitude, but also conveys China's basic position of peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world, equal exchange with other nations, and active engagement in communicating with and integrating into the international community.

Zhao has been a nuclear physicist and earned awards for his technical innovations. He was for a number of years vice mayor of Shanghai and head of the municipality's Pudong New Area. But Zhao is perhaps best known for his role as minister of the State Council Information Office from 1998 to 2006.

With his wit and passion, Zhao mastered the art of presenting China to the world. Zhao has made brilliant speeches on a wide range of topics, from China-U.S. 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 Israeli President Shimon Peres, U.S. religious leader Luis Palau, former CEO of Time Warner Richard Parsons, and Souichiro Tahara, a famous Japanese TV anchorman.

Impressed by his knowledge and enthusiasm, the international media community hailed him as "China's Top PR Spokesman," "China's First-rate Orator" and "China's Image Polisher." Western diplomats have been uniformly impressed by his relative openness," Elisabeth Rosenthal, a correspondent in the Beijing Bureau of the New York Times since 1998, wrote in a 2000 article titled China's U.S. Road Show, Aimed at Making Friends.

As Minister of the State Council Information Office, he left many legacies, perhaps the most significant of which was the establishment of the spokesman system across the nation at all levels.

"After Zhao took office, the way information was released changed at China's State Council Information Office. Press conferences multiplied, and Chinese officials were urged to provide more convenience for journalists. He also adopted certain Western practices, such as informal talks remaining private, " wrote an Asia Weekly article.

After his tenure of office, he was appointed Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since 2008 and is currently the Dean of the School of Journalism at Renmin University of China, Beijing.

Zhao had previously published a series of books, such as 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, and One World—101 Topics for Communicating with Foreigners. All of them became bestsellers due to their themes that focused on hot topics of the international community. Full of the author's wit and personal approach, and buoyed by his authority, some of the books have been translated into multiple languages.