Putting Chinese diplomacy into frame

Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton meet with a group of district officials at the Shanghai Library in 1998. [Photo by Xu Genshun/Provided to China Daily]

"The year of 2007 was an important year for China because of the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai Expo. I wanted the book to show Chinese people the results of Chinese diplomacy over the last few decades," said Xu.

In addition to photos, his collection also contains images of the numerous menus that political leaders received during their dining receptions in Jin Jiang Tower, as well as commemorative envelopes and stamps bearing their autographs.

"I am planning to publish several editions of the menus that I have collected. I think cuisine is an integral part of Chinese culture and the type of cuisine served to foreign leaders reflected the economic and living standards of China at that time," said Xu.

"I also hope that I can cooperate with chefs in hotels or restaurants to recreate the dishes on the menus for the public."

Till today, Xu spends most of the day working in his 100-square-meter studio sorting volumes of documents and old photos that span 10 large tailor-made leather suitcases and several shelves. His collection includes envelopes autographed by over 400 world leaders, thousands of photographs of these leaders and their wives, and 280 dining menus.

"These photos I have shot, the menus for the foreign guests and the signatures I have collected, they are all part of history - they are the witnesses to the development of Chinese diplomacy and the rise of Shanghai."

Cheng Si contributed to this story.