Zhou Enlai: gentle face of party who shaped the nation's foreign policy

If Mao Zedong represented a face of young Communist China that was tough and unrelenting, Zhou Enlai was the one who softened the angles on that face and brought the country back onto the world stage.

From the United States, France and Japan, to 'Asian neighbours' and 'African brothers', Zhou helped established diplomatic ties between the People's Republic and the world at a most difficult period, when all but several Communist allies recognised Taiwan instead of Beijing as the seat of the Chinese government.

Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger called him 'intelligent, knowledgeable and noble' and compared him to French general Charles de Gaulle as one of the world's best statesmen. Many others remarked on his elegance, humility and candidness.

The US table tennis team that visited China in 1971 would no doubt remember Zhou's chat with long-haired player Glenn Cowan on the 'hippie' movement. Zhou said it was understandable that 'youths are dissatisfied with life, and want to seek truth and change, as his own generation did', but, he added, he was not sure whether the hairstyle would suit Chinese youths.

Born into a humble scholar family in Jiangsu province on March 5, 1898, Zhou's talents were recognised early when he became the first fully sponsored student at the famous Nankai University in Tianjin . He was later educated in Japan and Europe, and in France he helped set up the Communist Party. On his return to China he became a Politburo member at the age of 28.

Already an exceptional negotiator, he represented the party in many important negotiations with the Kuomintang and foreign countries. He grew familiar with foreign diplomats and journalists when he became the party representative in Chongqing - the wartime capital of China.

Zhou became premier when the People's Republic was established in 1949 and served in the position till his death in 1976. He also served as foreign minister until 1958, during which he laid the foundations of Chinese foreign policy which are still adhered to today.