German President Johannes Rau: Greatness Does not Need to be Explained

“Greatness does not need to be explained.”

This was the message of the then German President Johannes Rau on the inscription book of the Great Wall. This sentence, though brief, is profoundly meaningful.

The Great Wall attracts heads of states and governments from all over the world with its majestic grandeur and profound cultural connotations.

On September 11, 2003, German President Johannes Rau and his wife, accompanied by Chinese officials, came to the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing.

During the eight-day state visit, the Great Wall was one of the most highly anticipated trips by Johannes Rau. Standing on the Great Wall and looking as far as the eye could see, the ancient walls, dark green pines and cypresses all tell the miracle of human history.

He had read a lot about China and Chinese culture to deepen his understanding of China.

When he learned that the Chinese side would compile a documentary book about his visit to China, he immediately provided his own photo, his personal message and signature at the request of the Chinese side, and thus the first documentary book on a visit to China by a foreign head of state was produced.

In 2003, he said in an interview: China has become a country with global influence. I believe that China, with its 1.3 billion people, will play a pivotal role, both economically and politically with a culture that has yet to be rediscovered.