The First Foreign Leader to Climb on China's Great Wall

This photo was taken in October 1954. It's a precious photo recording Indian Prime Minister Nehru's trip to the Great Wall in Beijing accompanied by Chinese Primer Zhou En'lai.

As the first foreign head-of-government ever visiting the Great Wall in China, Nehru often praised China with this line, "China is the country I admire the most, great changes have taken place there...and there is of course a lot we can learn from them".

The Great Wall embodies rich and profound cultural connotations, and is an ideal place for foreigners to get a taste of the Chinese civilization. Prior to the founding of the People's Republic of China, wind and rain erosions and in particular numerous wars had resulted in serious devastation of the Great Wall that used to "span across steep mountains, vast grasslands, lush forests and dangerous cliffs". In 1952, China decided to "restore the Badaling Section of the Great Wall and open it to Chinese and foreign tourists", and the Great Wall has thus entered a new chapter. Since then, the Badaling Great Wall has become an important place of diplomatic receptions in China. The vigorous and majestic ancient gateway has since embarked on a new historical mission.

The Great Wall is a symbol of peace and it expresses the peace-loving nature of China. To date, the Badaling Great Wall has received more than 520 heads of state and government from all over the world. They have left thousands of precious photos, more than 160 precious inscriptions, and numerous unforgettable anecdotes, which are like seeds of friendship that speak the desire for peace and friendship of all the people in the world.