The exhibition entitled the "Retrospective Glory of the People’s Republic of China –- an Exhibition of Diplomatic Gifts to Three Generations of Leaders," sponsored by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and International Friendship Museum of China, was inaugurated at the Shanghai Municipal Workers’ Cultural Palace on September 20 and will last for two months.

Of the 200 diplomatic gifts on display, 127 will be on show to the public for the first time, including 18 gifts to Mao Zedong, 15 to Deng Xiaoping and 12 to Jiang Zemin.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the central government has enforced strict regulations governing the receipt of diplomatic gifts. Gifts accepted during state affairs worth more than 200 yuan (US$24) must be handed over to the higher authorities.

Of their own volition, three generations of leaders for the PRC have observed this regulation for over five decades. In the beginning, diplomatic gifts submitted to the authorities were kept by the State Affairs Office of the State Council. The International Friendship Museum has now taken over responsibility for the collection. Currently, over 20,000 valuable diplomatic gifts, reflecting the diplomatic achievements of PRC, have been collected by the museum.

The importance of the gifts lies in the records they keep on the ups and downs of China’s diplomatic history. There is a telling story behind almost every gift in the collection.

On display is a copper sculpture entitled "The Majestic Eagle of America," a gift sent to Chairman Mao Zedong by Gerald Ford, former President of the United States, in 1975.

Relations between China and the United States had experienced setbacks after the two countries established diplomatic relations. However, President Ford did not change his plans to visit China and sent the majestic eagle to Chairman Mao as a precursor to his visit. The bald eagle, a rare but powerful bird found only in the United States, was selected as the national emblem of the United States in 1782. By sending the copper sculpture, President Ford communicated his friendship and understanding to the people of China. This sculpture records a special moment in Sino-US diplomatic history.

Among the other exhibits is a red copper tea set presented to Mao Zedong by Zambia’s former President Kenneth Kaunda during his visit to China in 1974. Mao Zedong held a meeting with President Kaunda and proposed the theory of "The Third World" for the first time in diplomatic history.

Visiting the exhibition of diplomatic gifts is like admiring a highly regarded art exhibition. An Amazon tapestry given to Mao Zedong by former French President George Pompidou, while visiting China in September 1973, is on show. During his tenure, President Pompidou attached great importance on developing diplomatic relations with China. He personally selected this tapestry and persevered with his visit to China despite suffering poor health at the time. With bright colors and reputed artistic value, this skillfully hand weaved tapestry is based on piece by a famous painter.

The display also exhibits an ingeniously conceived and sculptured hand-shaped chair, made from a single piece of redwood, sent to Deng Xiaoping by Philippine guests in 1984.

While it is the leaders of respective countries that usually offer diplomatic gifts, in 1994 the vice president of the Netherlands’ Philips Company sent a porcelain plate, embellished with colored drawings, to President Jiang. President Jiang then met with the vice president. The Philips Company is an internationally recognized enterprise that invested in China at very early stage. The plate was presented to President Jiang to express support and confidence in favor of China’s policy to open up to the outside world.

(china.org.cn by staff reporter Wang Qian, September 21, 2002)