Future In Retrospect: China's Diplomatic History Revisited

What were the new People's Republic of China's policies to the Universal Postal Union in its early years? How did they help China promote its national interests in the world stage? Why did China train Albanian interns in the Cold War? Was it out of "communist fraternity" or was it part of China's concerted public diplomacy efforts? And what role has China's medical assistance to developing countries, especially those in Africa, played in its foreign affairs?

Penned by well-known international relations scholars from China, the eight essays in this volume attempt to answer those questions and more. Based on rich literature, including some newly declassified files from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this volume introduces some of the most interesting and significant, but lesser-known, episodes in the diplomatic history of the People's Republic of China, and tries to shed light on their implications and impact on China's diplomacy.
Contents:Revolutionary Patriotism: China's Policies to the UPU (1950–1951) (Han Changqing and Yao Baihui)A Relook at China's Policy to Assist Vietnam in Its Resistance War Against France (Niu Jun)The Sino-Albania Alliance Revisited: The Role of Ideology in Alliance Formation and Disintegration (Cheng Xiaohe)Diplomatic Commitment and Strategic Communication and Testing: Vance's Visit to China and the Normalization of China–US Diplomatic Relations (Han Changqing and Wu Wencheng)China's Economic Aid to the DPRK after the Sino-Soviet Split (1961–1965) (Dong Jie)Ideology and Public Diplomacy-Interpreting China's Training Program for Albanian Interns during the Cold War (Jiang Huajie)Ideological Output in Technical Assistance: China's Political and Ideological Education towards Vietnamese Interns in China in the Cold War Period (You Lan)Chinese Medical Team Abroad for Assistance: History, Achievement and Impact (Li Anshan)
Readership: Students, researchers, and academics who are interested in China's foreign affairs, diplomacy, and diplomatic history.