# Beijing Review

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Multi-language Chinese news magazine

Beijing Review Peking Review front page from 13 October 1959 Type Weekly Publisher China International Publishing Group Founded March 1958 Political alignment Chinese Communist Party Language English, Japanese, French, German, Chinese, and Spanish[1] Headquarters Beijing Website www.bjreview.com

Beijing Review Simplified Chinese 北京周报 Traditional Chinese 北京周報 Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běijīng Zhōubào Wade–Giles Pei3-ching1 Chou1-pao4

***Beijing Review*** ([simplified Chinese](/source/Simplified_Chinese_characters): 北京周报; [traditional Chinese](/source/Traditional_Chinese_characters): 北京周報; [pinyin](/source/Pinyin): *Běijīng Zhōubào*; lit. 'Beijing Weekly'), previously ***Peking Review***, is [China](/source/China)'s only national [news magazine](/source/News_magazine) in [English](/source/English_language), published by the state-run [China International Publishing Group](/source/China_International_Publishing_Group). In addition to the English print edition, *Beijing Review* also publishes online editions in Chinese, French, German and Japanese.[2]

## Overview

Following China’s participation in the 1954 [Geneva Conference](/source/1954_Geneva_Conference), Premier [Zhou Enlai](/source/Zhou_Enlai), on his way back with the delegation, suggested establishing an English-language weekly, as the country’s growing international engagement made its main foreign publicity publication, then bi-weekly *People’s China*, inadequate and untimely.[3]

Wu Wentao, who had served as *[People’s Daily](/source/People's_Daily)*’s chief correspondent in Geneva during the conference, returned to China the following year and began preparations for such a weekly. In late 1957, as deputy head of the Foreign Languages Press, Wu formally submitted a proposal to the [Ministry of Foreign Affairs](/source/Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_(China)) to launch the English weekly. On 18 November 1957, Vice Foreign Minister [Zhang Wentian](/source/Zhang_Wentian) convened discussions and subsequently submitted a report for the Premier’s approval. The proposal was endorsed by Foreign Minister [Chen Yi](/source/Chen_Yi_(marshal)) on 20 November 1957 for Zhou’s consideration. In early 1958, Zhou approved the launch and instructed the Foreign Ministry to provide support; his final authorization on 9 February 1958 set 1 March 1958 as the publication date of the English-language *Peking Review*.[4][3]

Replacing the English edition of *People’s China*, whose editorial team it largely inherited, *Peking Review* served as an important channel for the Chinese government to communicate with the rest of the world. The first issue included an editor's note explaining that the magazine was meant to "provide timely, accurate, first-hand information on economic, political and cultural developments in China, and her relations with the rest of the world."[5] The U.S. Postal Service initially restricted distribution of the magazine but the [U.S. Supreme Court](/source/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States) overturned this policy in *[Lamont v. Postmaster General](/source/Lamont_v._Postmaster_General)* in 1965.

In 1963, *Peking Review* launched Spanish, French, Japanese, and German editions.[4] The magazine also published an Indonesian edition in the mid-1960s, followed by Arabic and Portuguese editions in late 1970s.[2][6] With the exception of the English edition, all foreign-language print editions ceased publication in 2000 and subsequently continued online.

From 1967 onward, *Peking Review* was significantly disrupted by the [Cultural Revolution](/source/Cultural_Revolution). In 1967, [Mao Zedong](/source/Mao_Zedong) and Zhou Enlai criticized the magazine and other external propaganda outlets for overly heavy-handed messaging influenced by Cultural Revolution rhetoric, urging restraint and humility in communication directed at international audiences.[7] In 1969, most of the magazine’s staff were sent to participate in labor and political re-education at the [May Seventh Cadre Schools](/source/May_Seventh_Cadre_School).[8]

In 1971, to flee the political turmoil, Jack I-Fan Chen, son of [Eugene Chen](/source/Eugene_Chen) and then an editor of *Peking Review*, left China with his wife and son for the United States with Zhou Enlai’s arrangement, officially to conduct external publicity work. Chen, who held a British passport, was among the only politically connected figures from China to emigrate during the [Cultural Revolution](/source/Cultural_Revolution), and later advised U.S. President [Richard Nixon](/source/Richard_Nixon) ahead of his 1972 visit to China.[9]

In 1973, at the invitation of the [American Society of Newspaper Editors](/source/American_Society_of_News_Editors), Wang Xi, the deputy editor-in-chief of *Peking Review,* among a delegation of Chinese newspeople led by Zhu Muzhi, head of [Xinhua News Agency](/source/Xinhua_News_Agency), visited the United States. The delegation was received by [Richard Nixon](/source/Richard_Nixon) and later visited Canada, where it met Prime Minister [Pierre Trudeau](/source/Pierre_Trudeau).[10]

In 1979, the magazine underwent major editorial and design reforms. While continuing to publish official documents and policy-related articles, it expanded original reporting, special features, and regular columns aimed at overseas readers. The English title was also changed from *Peking Review* to *Beijing Review* in line with the Chinese government's adoption of [pinyin](/source/Pinyin).[6] In 1980, a delegation from *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))* magazine led by [Henry Grunwald](/source/Henry_A._Grunwald) visited the publication.[11]

During the [Tiananmen protests of 1989](/source/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests_and_massacre), *Beijing Review* initially expressed sympathy for the student protesters. The magazine was subsequently placed under temporary supervision by Lin Wusun, head of the China International Publishing Group, and its coverage returned to the party line over the following year.[5]

In October 2020, the [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State) designated *Beijing Review* as a "foreign mission" of China.[11][10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["About BEIJING REVIEW"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101026130525/http://www.bjreview.com.cn/txt/2006-12/20/content_51382.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.bjreview.com.cn/txt/2006-12/20/content_51382.htm) on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) ["1977"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180116_800114523.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_3-1) ["周恩来与《北京周报》_北京周报"](http://www.beijingreview.cn/zt/txt/2008-02/27/content_530145.htm). *www.beijingreview.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-17.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) ["1964"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180111_800114143.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_5-1) ["1989"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180116_800114571.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_6-1) ["1979"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180116_800114530.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["1967"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180111_800114149.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["1969"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180111_800114154.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Chen, Yuan-tsung. ["The Secret Listener: An Ingenue in Mao's Court"](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-secret-listener-9780197573341?cc=us&lang=en&). *global.oup.com*. Retrieved 2026-02-18.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_10-1) ["1973"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180116_800114489.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_11-1) ["1980"](http://www.beijingreview.com.cn/special/2018/beijingreview60/lshg/201801/t20180116_800114535.html). *www.beijingreview.com.cn*. Retrieved 2026-02-07.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.bjreview.com/)

- [Collection of historical issues of *Peking Review*](http://massline.org/PekingReview/index.htm)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Beijing Review](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Review) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Review?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.