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)