• One man's quest to forge trade ties with China

Jack Perry's eldest son, Graham, describes how his father braved a hostile environment to establish enduring ties with China.

The early 1950s were not a good time to attempt to establish trade relations with Communist countries. The Korean war sucked in the superpowers in a conflict that threatened to spread beyond the disputed borders of the two Koreas. John Foster Dulles reigned supreme at the State Department in Washington. And Senator Joe McCarthy was pursuing a witchhunt against any one suspected of showing favour or support to the Soviet Union or the People's Republic of China.

Nevertheless, my father, Jack Perry, largely for ideological reasons, believed that the West should establish trade relations with communist countries, despite the hostility. He had fought the fascists in the east end of London and had strong ties with the Communist Party of Great Britain. China was in his sights but the opportunity actually arose at the Moscow Economic Conference of 1952.

Jack Perry was the UK representative on the preparatory committee which held meetings in the 18 months prior to the April 1952 conference. Others on the committee included Dr Ji Chaoding, vice-president of the Bank of China.

Although self-taught, Jack Perry possessed a keen awareness of the ebb and flow of history and the interplay of finance, economics and politics. He sensed the balance of power was shifting eastwards. He also learned, from Dr Ji, of the post-1949 reconstruction of war-ravaged China. Dr Ji had been instructed by Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai to seek out new trade partners unconnected with the old imperial Britain and was impressed by the spirit and enthusiasm of the textile manufacturer from Hackney. A relationship developed and a business partnership was etched in outline.

In due course the growing divisions between the USSR and China compelled Jack Perry to make a choice, and after the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party in 1956, he severed links with the Communist Party of Great Britain and concentrated exclusively on China. He set about the task of building a business, personal and political relationship with the leaders of the ‘New' China, who recognised his ability and determination to provide a long-term relationship based on profound mutual respect.

He visited China every year for two months. I recall many a smog-enshrouded trip to what were then known as London Airport and Northolt Airport to meet or to say farewell to my father. After each trip he spoke with excitement and enthusiasm about the spirit that infused the country recovering from the destruction wrought by 30 years of civil war and six years of world war. He was a friend and a supporter but he was not starry-eyed. He foresaw difficulties. He was aware of the dangers of the headlong rush to adopt the cult of personality. Whilst he was inspired by the writings of Mao Zedong, he was scornful of the move to elevate Mao into a god and did not hold back from making such unpalatable comments to the Chinese leaders.

In 1954 my parents welcomed Dr Ji to our home. Although just nine years old I well recall the occasion. Dr Ji, who had lived for many years in the USA and studied at Harvard, recounted a number of popular Chinese folk stories. He spoke with ease, humour and excitement of the efforts of his country people to build a new society. In later years many Chinese leaders came to our family home but that first visit by Dr Ji is etched in the memory.

Fifty years on we are obsessed about the present and the excitement of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and the emergence of China as the dominant world force in the 21st century. Fifty years back it all looked so different and there is a deep sense of personal modesty at being in the fortunate position of being close to the initiators of links that have played a part in creating the political and economic realities of today.

Graham Perry is a visiting professor of arbitration and mediation at the University of Inter-national Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing.

• Messages of support
Tony Blair; Wen Jiabao; Wan Jifei; Zha Peixin
• Introduction
Lord Powell; Peter Nightingale
History
• Spirit of the times
The 48 Group holds a unique place in international trade history, writes Luise Schafer.
• Profile: Jack Perry
• Profile: Sir John Keswick
• Softly, softly
From an idea, to a desk, to a fully fledged trade promotion body, Hilary Footer charts the growth of the Sino-British Trade Council.
• Profile: Jack Taylor
• Mission unaccomplished
Recent policy changes in China may mean that within the next 50 years China will achieve its cherished goal, writes Allan Zhang.
• 1973: UK exhibition
Shop window for the 1970s
• Taking on a business focus
As China has grown, so the work of the CBBC has expanded and diversified, writes Janet Kealey.
• Royal visit, grand events
The two-day seminar ‘Sea Day' and ‘Land Day' in Shanghai in October 1986, coincided with the Queen's historic visit to China, writes Janet Kealey.
• Profile: CCPIT
CBBC's partner in China
• Meeting of minds
Mandi Sturrock explains how the merger of the SBTC and the 48 Group came about.
• The 1995 Mission
Breaking the logjam

Special features
• Visit to the UK: Wen Jiabao
China's premier, Wen Jiabao, was the latest in a long line of VIP visitors from China to
be received by CBBC.
• CBBC's new directions
New initiatives for CBBC's new half-century

First Person
Personal insights and memories from the past 50 years
• Percy Timberlake
• Alan Donald
• Richard Evans
• Douglas Hurd
• Derek Lyons
• Tony Galsworthy
• Hugh Davies
• Ian Rae
• Frank Edwards
• John Stuttard
• Michael Doughty
• Charles Cuddington
• Bill Thomson
• William Wainman