Host Michael North reports live from Huaian, a city in the heart of industrial east China, in the middle of Jiangsu Province. Jay Fidell introduces the program, from Honolulu.
Huaian is a modest city of 4.8 million people, by Chinese standards — but that still makes it larger than most American cities.
Huaian has been inhabited for nearly 6000 years, and has featured prominently in Chinese history and culture. We’re focused on one particular detail of that long, deep history today — Zhou Enlai — the first premier of modern China, who was born in Huaian in 1898.
Michael introduces us to a prominent businessman, who knows Huaian and its most famous son very well, and talks about some of the secrets to what makes China tick. Zuo Renjun is General Manager of Nanjing Ruike Translation company (Locatran). As General Manager, he directs translation, interpretation and localization services for one of the largest language companies in China.
The character of Zhou Enlai, his example and stories, are regarded as being key to understanding China’s view of itself today. His ideas permeate the political, economic and cultural policies of the world’s largest nation.
This interview analyzes the impact of Zhou Enlai on China — past, present and future.