A new book series of English archives from the China Welfare Institute has been launched in honor of the outstanding contributions made by Soong Ching Ling, the late honorary president of the People's Republic of China, to the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
According to the institute, 203 volumes of English records have been discovered totaling 17,247 pages, which contain correspondence, meeting minutes, work reports and news items. These materials documented Soong's leadership of the China Defense League, the China Welfare Institute's precursor, in working with international friends and overseas Chinese to help achieve national liberation and world peace, as well as the institute's contribution to the building of modern China.
The series, which includes selected archives, spans three volumes and has over 1.5 million words.
The Yan'an Volume (1942-1949) describes how Soong, through the China Welfare Fund, raised international funds for medical treatment, child welfare and production projects in the CPC-led liberated regions.
The Shanghai Volume (1945-1950) contains historical documents of the organization's support for the liberated areas, as well as pioneering work in child welfare and culture in Shanghai and subsequently in New China.
The International Volume (1945-1952) focuses on the efforts of international aid organizations and friends, such as Canadian surgeon Norman Bethune, filling in the gaps in research on international organizations that assisted China during that time period.
The series is both an academic reference and an homage to Soong's unflinching support for the Communist Party of China, as well as her global vision for peace and humanitarian help. It represents international solidarity during one of history's most difficult times, said the China Welfare Institute Publishing House.