The New York Times has an obituary of Huang Hua, a Chinese revolutionary and diplomat who is best known for his work helping American journalist Edgar Snow when he traveled to meet Mao Zedong and other then Communist rebels in 1936:
A loyal deputy to Zhou Enlai, then the prime minister, Mr. Huang was an amiable statesman at a time when China was moving to end decades of international isolation. Backed by Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, those efforts set the stage for the country’s spectacular rise in the past three decades.
As a senior diplomat with excellent English, Mr. Huang was known for his toothy smile and conservative brand of diplomacy. Henry A. Kissinger, the former secretary of state, called him “one of the ablest public servants I have ever met” and a “trusted friend.”
He met Mr. Kissinger during the secret trip Mr. Kissinger made to Beijing in 1971 as President Richard M. Nixon’s national security adviser. He also negotiated with a series of American presidents, including Jimmy Carter, George Bush and Ronald Reagan, and he served as China’s first ambassador to Canada.
In late 1971, Mr. Huang was named China’s first permanent representative to the United Nations, taking up the post shortly after Beijing gained a United Nations seat.
