Beijing conference commemorates US journalist whose 1937 book introduced Chinese communists to the West

Nancy Hill, president emeritus of the Edgar Snow Memorial Foundation, addresses the opening ceremony of the commemorative conference on the 120th anniversary of Edgar Snow's Birth and the academic symposium on establishing a more effective international communication system in Beijing, capital of China, May 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A commemorative conference on the 120th anniversary of U.S. journalist Edgar Snow's birth was held on Friday at Peking University in Beijing.

Snow was born in 1905 to an ordinary farming family in Missouri. In 1936, at a time when China was embroiled in internal conflict and faced external aggression, Snow made his way to the remote headquarters of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, where he conducted extensive interviews with top Party leaders, including late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

Snow's firsthand reporting culminated in "Red Star Over China," which was published a year later and provided not only the West but also China with a rare and authentic account of the Red Army, its leadership and its steadfast commitment to improving the lives of the Chinese people.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Snow visited the country three times and was warmly received by its top leaders. He remained concerned about China following his visits, firmly supported the just cause of the Chinese people, and actively promoted friendly relations between China and the United States.

Speaking at the conference's opening ceremony, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, said that Snow was a sincere friend of the Chinese people, an envoy for China-U.S. relations, and a revered journalist.

"Through his cross-border, cross-cultural journalistic practice, Snow provided the world on both sides of the Pacific with an accurate, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of China," Fu said.

"The values contained in Snow's work -- honesty, curiosity, courage in the face of political pressure -- are ones that must be reaffirmed, renewed, even amplified to truly honor his memory," said Samuel Colin Maclean, a relative of Snow and a representative of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University.

"Snow believed communication -- unsentimental, unfiltered -- was the only way to bridge the gap between the two countries and to prevent unnecessary conflict," Maclean noted.

As this year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Sun Hua, director of Peking University's China Center for Edgar Snow Studies (CCESS), noted that "Red Star Over China" played a crucial role in introducing the CPC's idea of forming a united front against Japanese aggression.

Sun explained that as a result of Snow's work, U.S. groups, including military observers, traveled to northern Shaanxi to support China's anti-fascist efforts. "The book not only helped unite the Chinese people but also played a significant role in rallying international support, including support from the United States and Britain."

"Let us carry forward Snow's spirit, bridging not only geographical distance but also divides in ideologies and worldviews, while promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning between nations and regions," Fu said.

Co-organized by Peking University and the Xinhua Institute, the event was attended by Snow's relatives and close friends, as well as seasoned journalists and specialists on Edgar Snow studies and international communication.

During the event, guests explored how China can focus on building a more effective international communication system, centering on topics such as "Presenting the real China to the World" and "Talent development & the legacy of Edgar Snow's spirit."