All officials, interpreters, translators, typists and secretaries working in the United Nations, a total of about 40 people, belong to the Joint Working Group, a department of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Author: Tang Zhongmin Source: "Diplomats Say Things"

About the author: Tang Zhongmin was born in 1947. In 1965, he was selected to join the ministry as a confidential typist. In 1968, he enlisted in the army and served at Jiuquan Launch Base . He was demobilized and returned to China in 1971. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, served as a staff member of the United Nations from 1979 to 1985, served as a diplomatic courier from 1988 to 1999, and served as Director of the Office of the Embassy in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands from 1999 to 2007.

Permanent Mission and Joint Working Group

Internally, we commonly call the Consulate General the South Campus, and the North Campus is the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations located on 9th Avenue and 66th Street. I have experienced two ambassadors, Ling Qing and Li Luye .

All officials, interpreters, translators, typists and secretaries working in the United Nations, a total of about 40 people, belong to the Joint Working Group, a department of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations. The team leader is Bi Jilong, deputy secretary-general, and the deputy team leaders are Chen Luzhi and Tang Xingbo. The leadership group (core group) is composed of the team leader, deputy team leader and heads of each group. There is an interpretation team Tang Sheng , a translation team Gao Yujie, and I am the head of the typing team. The joint labor group has a general party branch, which is composed of three branches: official group, interpretation group, translation group and typing group.

At that time, the United Nations staff dispatched domestically received the same treatment as the staff of the permanent embassy and consulates. They enjoyed the supply system . The state provided food and accommodation, retained domestic wages, and were given US dollar allowances based on diplomatic titles. The only difference was that they received an extra 10 % subsidy fee. When I first went there, it was only $29 per month. After saving this little foreign exchange for several years, I could barely buy a 14-inch color TV. I usually spend my money very carefully.

In order to learn English, I bought an old brick recorder from Chinatown for less than 5 US dollars. I also found a store in Chinatown that sold pants for one dollar. Everyone went to buy them one after another, so it was named "Pants Street". Thirty years later, when I was on a business trip to New York as a re-employed messenger, I was surprised to hear that people at the Consulate General still call it "Pants Street". I didn't expect that this name would last for more than 30 years.

took a photo in front of the United Nations Square. Picture provided by the author

The United Nations has distinct levels, including D-level officials, P-level professionals (such as translators), and G-level staff. I am at the G3 level and earn about US$2,000 per month. When I receive my check every month, I return to my apartment and immediately hand it over to the accountant of the joint work group. It is stipulated that I am not allowed to stay overnight. With the development of the country's economy, the salary of personnel stationed abroad was adjusted several times. By the time they left in 1985, they were earning about US$400 per month. In the early 1990s, the management methods of international employees were changed, completely decoupled from domestic ones, wages did not need to be handed over, and they were also changed to permanent contracts.

When China was still working six days a day, the United Nations, like Western countries, had a five-day work system. The joint working group often organizes outings on weekends. In addition to New York and surrounding scenic spots, in 1985 it also organized a trip to Niagara Falls, a 9-hour one-way trip. We set off early in the morning and returned to New York almost midnight. It was a very tiring day, but we had a lot of fun and it was totally worth it.

Consulate General in New York

In November 1979, we moved into the building of the Consulate General in New York. We just bought it last month. It was originally a Sheraton Hotel. The original price for a 20-story building was 500. Ten thousand US dollars, after completing the domestic approval procedures, it rose to 7.5 million. After counter-offering, it was finally purchased for a total price of US$6.9 million.

The Consulate General is located on the west side of Manhattan Island, with its gate facing west, facing the docking pier for Circleline cruise ships and large cruise ships on the Hudson River. Every weekend, luxury cruise ships from Europe and the Caribbean often dock. There used to be an abandoned elevated expressway in front of the building, which was soon demolished. There is also an abandoned pier, which has become a place for us to walk, run and relax.

When we first arrived, there were not many people living in the building, and we also had to participate in weekend duty. Especially at night, sitting alone in the duty room, facing the transparent glass door, we were very timid.

The lobby on the first floor can host large-scale receptions. Movies are shown in the lobby on weekends. The movies are borrowed from the Chinatown Cinema. Most of them are martial arts movies from Hong Kong and Taiwan. They were very fresh at first and kept going from scene to scene. Later, I got tired of watching martial arts movies. No longer interested.

There is a porcelain painting on the wall of the foyer on the first floor, which describes the scene in 1626 when Peter, the governor of the New Netherland Province in Dutch America, spent about US$24 in current value to buy Manhattan Island from the Indians . There are also murals in each room reflecting North American style. After retirement, when the rehired messenger went to New York on a business trip, the renovated Consulate General had a completely new look. Unfortunately, the murals of the old Manhattan Island style also disappeared.

The second and third floors of the building are the equipment floors, the fourth floor is the canteen and banquet hall, the fifth floor was later transformed into the reception canteen, and the sixth floor and above are the guest rooms.

In 1985, the Consulate General in New York. Photo courtesy of the author

There is a platform on the top of the 20th floor. Standing on the rooftop platform, you can see all the skyscrapers in central Manhattan, all of which are above 40 floors. A small 6-story building next to the Consulate General can only be counted. bungalow. The 103-story Empire State Building and the 110-story Twin Towers of the World Trade Center are particularly prominent. Unfortunately, in the 2001 "911" incident, the Twin Towers were demolished by American Airlines passenger planes hijacked by terrorists. There is also an open-air swimming pool on the platform, which is open in summer and you can go swimming at any time.

The north side of the building is a 12-story garage with rotating loading and unloading facilities that can park hundreds of cars.

The Consulate General also has an additional function, including a reception desk to receive domestic guests passing through New York. The 6th to 12th floors of the building are all guest rooms. There are civil servants to manage the guest rooms, drivers and Dodge vans to pick up and drop off at the airport and station. The driver squad leader is from the Northeast and goes to the airport to pick up and drop off guests almost every day. He travels a lot, so he has evil thoughts, steals luggage, and sells the stolen items at very cheap prices. There are suitcases for 3 to 5 US dollars each, and some other items. There are cameras, radios, gold and silver jewelry, etc., all in good condition. He said it was bought by Yard Sale. Later, he was caught, the Consulate General in New York was notified, and he was sent back to the country and sentenced to prison.

Chinese typing department colleagues take a group photo. Photo provided by the author

More than 20 of us UN officials, translators, typists and secretaries sent from China live on the 17th to 19th floors of the building. We eat at the Consulate General in the morning and evening, and buy food at the UN Cafeteria at noon. The standard for food is a maximum of US$5 per person per day, which is reimbursed on a monthly basis.

There are two chefs in the Consulate General, and about 50 people eat. They eat very well. In the morning, there are porridge, steamed buns, steamed buns, and sometimes fried dough sticks. In the dinner, there is one meat, two vegetarian, and one soup. After the meal, there is an orange or an apple. . Especially having meat to eat every meal, for me who often don’t have enough to eat, I feel like the greatest happiness in my life.

In the first two years, the driver from the joint labor team drove a van to and from work. Later, students were encouraged to take buses and were given transportation fees. There happens to be an M42 bus from the United Nations across 42 street to the entrance of the consulate general. It costs 0.50 US dollars to get on the bus.

Unless the weather is bad, we usually stretch our legs and walk to and from get off work. Cross 42nd Street and walk 13 blocks, 3.5 kilometers, about 45 minutes.

The author and his wife attended a gathering of the United Nations Chinese Language Service. Photo courtesy of the author

42nd Street is located in the middle of Manhattan Island and is the most prosperous area in New York. The famous Times Square and the Opera House are at the junction of 42nd Street and Broadway. This area is also New York's famous red light district. There are several pornographic cinemas in the west section of this street. Neon lights on both sides flashed "peepshows", crazy drunks were lying on the roadside, people stretched out their hands to beg from you, and there were ghost-like prostitutes. However, we remained vigilant in our hearts, never looked around, walked our way as if nothing had happened, and walked away when we saw dishonest people. Nothing happened for several years. Also because of the strict discipline, no one is allowed to enter these unscrupulous situations.Although robberies and homicides are reported on TV and in newspapers from time to time, we just listen to them as news.

It wasn’t until something happened around us that I became alert. One weekend not long after I arrived, a comrade who lived in South Hospital took a van to watch a movie in North Hospital. At about 9 p.m., a young driver drove an empty van to pick up someone in North Hospital. While waiting at a red light, a black man suddenly opened the door. , pointed a knife at him and called "money". The driver was so frightened that he quickly took out the $40 he had planned to buy but didn't buy during the day to avoid personal injury. Since then, it has been stipulated that when going out, the door must be closed when driving, and you must carry $20 in life insurance money with you.

In the 1980s, when reform and opening up began, groups came to the United States for inspections in an endless stream, and some who were not determined took the opportunity to leave the group, such as tennis player Hu Na. Two things happened at the Consulate General: A Sichuan petroleum engineer left the team for a few days and later returned to the team. But when he came back, he couldn't think about it anymore and hanged himself on a shelf next to the swimming pool. I saw two police officers taking the body away from the freight elevator. Another man was also captured after running away and imprisoned in a guest room. He climbed out of the window on the 12th floor and slipped down the rainwater pipe. The water pipe became detached and he broke his leg.

Today is the Internet age with developed information. In the 1980s, although international long distances were available, they were expensive, and all domestic contacts were through couriers and letters. New York is a messenger station. A messenger comes from Beijing every two weeks, so it is very convenient to communicate with domestic letters. Whenever a messenger comes that week, everyone is eagerly waiting to receive a letter from home.

The courier comes from China, and it is a long-distance flight, so sometimes delays are normal. But the courier on November 25, 1983 was delayed a lot and did not arrive until after 10 o'clock in the evening. Moreover, it has been reported in real time on local TV: A Pan Am flight to New York was temporarily suspended due to Chinese passengers. Later I found out it was because of a Chinese courier. On the way from San Francisco to New York, courier Yang Shuichang took advantage of the opportunity of his companion He Cunfeng to go to the bathroom and defected with a diplomatic bag. After arduous negotiations and arguments, He Cunfeng finally got back the diplomatic bag . Unexpectedly, five years later, I would also become a member of that sacred team. During the team training, the "Yang Shuichang Incident" became a shameful negative teaching material.

From 1979 to 1985, the author served in the United Nations. Photo courtesy of the author

I am not very capable of adapting to new environments. When I first arrived in Beijing in 1965, I often developed tonsillitis and had high fevers at every turn, so I was sent to the hospital. As a last resort, during the first Spring Festival in Beijing, I was admitted to Beijing Hospital and had tonsillectomy surgery.

Less than half a year after arriving in New York, I felt a dull pain on the right side of my lower abdomen after lunch. I thought I had indigestion at first, so I walked up and down the stairs in the United Nations building, but it didn't work. I thought that a few years ago, I got intestinal cancer while riding my bicycle chasing bus exhaust every day in Beijing. I was a little scared, so I told Boss Tang. He arranged for Gu Jingshu, who was good at speaking English, to accompany me to see a doctor at New York University Hospital (MNYU). A Chinese doctor showed it to me and he admitted me to the hospital for examination. Lao Tang said, since I have insurance, I will just stay in the hospital.

was hospitalized and underwent various examinations but no problems were found. Finally, a duodenoscopy was performed under general anesthesia, and it was found that 's appendix had some abnormalities. The doctor suggested surgery to open it up and take a look. I knew that removing the appendix was not harmful. Since the abdomen was opened, the appendix should be removed regardless of whether it was normal or not, so I performed the operation. After the appendix was removed, everything was fine. After a month of hard work, we spent more than 10,000 US dollars, all of which were covered by insurance, and the remaining US$400 was reimbursed by the delegation. There were comrades who could speak English accompany me before and after the operation.

As soon as I arrived at the United Nations, I experienced what it was like to live in an American hospital. I lived in a single room with a bathroom and comfortable conditions. But there were two things I didn't get used to: the nurse came on time to draw blood at 6 o'clock every day, which was scary, and I wasn't used to drinking cold water or eating Western food.

This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also the 43rd anniversary of the first batch of Chinese people to pass the United Nations recruitment and enter the United Nations as ordinary staff.As a result of the tremendous changes, my country's comprehensive national strength has undergone tremendous changes. my country's diplomacy has also entered a new situation of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and its influence in the United Nations is also different from what it used to be. China has demonstrated its strength as a major country and played a decisive role.

I hope that more and more young people can "take the world as their own responsibility", emerge on the international stage, play a greater role, and spread the voice of China.

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[Author: Tang Zhongmin Editor: "Diplomats Say Things" Xiaoha]