In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a popular advertising slogan: seven white rabbit milk candies can make a cup of milk. As a classic domestic product, the great white rabbit milk candy can be said to be a warm memory of a generation. Twenty or thirty years ago, the image of the great white rabbit on the sugar paper was almost loved, and many "children" were even reluctant to throw away the sugar paper and collect them after eating the milk candy.
What you may not know is that the great white rabbit milk candy has also been given as a state gift to US President Nixon. What kind of story is this?
It turned out that when the country was founded, all kinds of materials in the country were still extremely scarce, and milk, especially scarce goods. But in order to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1959, the workers of shanghai Guanshengyuan Company worked overtime to create the first generation of milk candy that belonged to China.
This milk candy once listed on the market "a hit", in the 1960s and 1970s in rural areas, can not buy this kind of "tight goods", only in shanghai, Beijing such a big city, citizens can queue up, limited rush to buy milk candy. At that time, the children were looking forward to the New Year, and it was good to eat a few "great white rabbits" on the day of Chinese New Year's Eve.
The great white rabbit milk candy made Guanshengyuan Company a lot of income, and even became a beautiful business card of Shanghai at that time.
Until now, we can still find the figure of the great white rabbit milk candy in some film and television works that reflect the life of that era. For example, in Zhang Yimou's "Love of hawthorn trees", the male protagonist in it first met Jingqiu and took out a milk candy from his pocket and gave it to her.
Around 1971, when Sino-US diplomatic relations began to normalize, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger visited China as a special envoy, for which US President Richard Nixon 's visit to China " explored the way".
Then the two sides began to talk, and after the meeting, the staff on the field found that the Americans had picked up all the leftover candy on the field, and the white rabbit milk candy in it. In the hotel, the big white rabbit milk candy placed at the head of the bed was also taken away.
The employees reported the incident to Premier Zhou Enlai, who understood the "taste" of the Americans and decided to give some white rabbit milk candy as a state gift to President Nixon.
Then, in February 1972, Nixon officially visited China and signed the Shanghai Joint Communiqué with us.
The communiqué clearly pointed out that China and the United States are two countries with different social systems and foreign policies, but regardless of the system, they should respect each other's territorial integrity, not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and handle state-to-state relations under the premise of peaceful coexistence and equal mutual assistance.
The US side also made a special statement at that time:
"All Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait believe that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China."
It was also confirmed that all troops stationed in Taiwan would be withdrawn.
In such a friendly atmosphere, the great white rabbit milk candy was given as a state gift to Nixon and his party. Subsequently, it appeared in the American gift market and became a good product for Americans to give to friends.
Later, Hague, who was then a deputy assistant to the United States national security, recalled the incident and still praised it, saying: "This Chinese candy is delicious, and I brought a large bag to distribute to the White House staff." ”
Today, we have long passed the era of "seven great white rabbits for a cup of milk", and the great white rabbit milk candy will no longer be given as a national gift. But the good memories it brings us are still worth savoring over and over again...
References: Documentary "Legend of China", etc