Up to the late 1970s, my evaluation of the PRC government was largely negative. Like other outside observers, I knew the mistakes it had made as have been reported in Chapter 1, and I disagreed with many of its stated policies and principles. It was through many visits to China since 1980, observing and working with government officials that my opinion has turned more positive. Since the late 1970s, the Chinese government itself has changed. This section records some of my personal experiences. I have worked mainly with officials of the Ministry of Education (State Education Commission in the period 1985 1999) and the State Commission for Reconstructing the Economic System (now playing a less important role and being a part of the State Development and Reform Commission). In some 50 visits to China, I have met hundreds of government officials, educators and researchers, including central government officials, provincial governors, city mayors, managers of state enterprises and banks, heads and administrators of the Chinese Academy of Social Science and the Chinese Academy of Science, and presidents and administrators of universities.

My first serious encounter with officials from the Ministry of Education occurred when a group led by the Director of its Bureau for Economic and Legal Education and the Director of its Bureau of Foreign Affairs led a delegation to visit Princeton University in October 1983. The Chinese Ministry of Education was then one of the 50 some ministries of the State Council. The...