Jiang Muyue was the publisher of China Daily when it was founded. He was instrumental in handling all the logistics for the paper's operation, circulation and general management.

He recalls how the name of New China's first, and still the only, national English language newspaper came about:

Since People's Daily was the most influential newspaper in China, there was a suggestion that an English edition of the paper be published. Others suggested we should set up a different, new paper.

The consensus at that time was that it should be a different paper, and it should not be an English version of People's Daily.

So the question of the paper's name arose.

People proposed several, such as "Beijing News," "China News," "Beijing Post," and so on, but finally "China Daily" was agreed upon, with endorsement from top leaders including Hu Yaobang, then the CPC general secretary.

"China Daily," was meant to convey the spirit of a newspaper representing China.

Next on the agenda was the size of the paper. (At that time, People's Daily was a broadsheet newspaper in four pages.)

We decided to go for eight pages in broadsheet so that we could use bigger photos, attract advertising and increase revenue.

We have come a long way from the first test run edition we printed in Australia in 1980 to the first trial issue to hit the streets of Beijing on May 1, 1981.

From a shabby office, we embarked on the journey to create an English language newspaper. Today, the paper has grown into China Daily Newspaper Group with its online website as well. We, as founders, wish the paper improve day by day and achieve greater renown and prosperity.

(China Daily 05/31/2006)