History of the Beidaihe Guesthouse

Along China’s coastline, there is no lack of a myriad summer resorts. Beidaihe, as an excellent resort, stands out for a number of reasons. It has not only a chain-like golden coastline stretching for quite several kilometers with Zhonghaitan (the Middle Beach) at the core, but also pleasant sunshine and soft sand. Apart from that, Beidaihe is predestined to have experienced and witnessed many historical events.

In 1950, the late Premiere and the Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai approved the building of a sanatorium for diplomatic missions, out of which the present Beidaihe Guesthouse for Diplomatic Missions has grown. Since the cornerstone of the building was laid, the Guesthouse has been given great attention by leaders of the Party and the State and leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the summer of 1950, the Beidaihe Liaison Office under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was set up and took over 34 villas situated in Dongjing Road, Dongyi Road, Dong’er Road, Bao’er Road, Baosan Road and Zhonghaitan (the Middle Beach). Then it began to receive diplomatic envoys from the USSR and from countries in Eastern Europe for their summer vacation.

Since the 1970s, with vigorous development of China’s diplomatic cause, there have been an increasing number of countries that established diplomatic relations with China and the number of diplomatic envoys to China has also been on the rise. To keep pace with the development of the situation, the Guesthouse embarked on refurbishment of the outdated building and facilities. Since 1987 when China stepped up efforts to open up to the world, China’s diplomatic cause has ushered in a new era of rapid development. As a result, a complete renovation of the Guesthouse was undertaken for the second time. Meanwhile, the Sanatorium for Diplomatic Missions was officially renamed the Beidaihe Guesthouse for Diplomatic Missions.

Since the 1980s, the Guesthouse has become the first choice for diplomatic envoys to China as their summer retreat. In the meantime, the Guesthouse has undertaken numerous tasks of receiving foreign guests, becoming the main venue in Beidaihe for events of state affairs in summer. In 1987, Yang Shangkun, the late President of China, accepted credentials from foreign diplomatic envoys at the Guesthouse. Also at the Guesthouse, the late Vice President Wu Lanfu received distinguished foreign guests. In addition, we successively received the Delegation of Niger for restoring diplomatic relations with China and the State Delegation of Cambodia; and received very important guests including the late Palestinian President Arafat, Foreign Minister of Russia, Mr. Sandy Berger, the former National Security Advisor to the US President and Mr. Mike Wallace, a celebrated US columnist. During his tenure as Chief of the US Liaison Office in China, George H. W. Bush Sr., who later served as the 41st US President, stayed at the Guesthouse to spend his summer vacation with his family members for many times. George W. Bush Jr., His son highly appraised Beidaihe. He said, “Beidaihe has good air. I had some cough in Beijing but get recovered when I come here. The beach is gorgeous.”

In the 1990s along with China’s deepening of its reform and opening up, the mystery of the guesthouse was finally unveiled. The Guesthouse has since been made available to the general public, Chinese and foreigners alike. Like an envoy of friendship, the Guesthouse has drawn friends and guests from all over the world.

With an elegant environment, a charming beach, fresh air, delicious food and high-quality services, the Beidaihe Guesthouse for Diplomatic Missions always leaves beautiful memories on its guests and friends for a long time.