BACKGROUND ON DR. GEORGE HATEM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06955122
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2022
• Case Number: F-2020-01106
• Publication Date: March 20, 1972

Approved for Release: 2022/08/19 C06955122
DIRECTORATE OF.
INTELLIGENCE
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT Dr. George Ho.tem� Father of Chinese
Public Health/Possibility Hatem a
Member of Chinese Central Committee
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE & DATE ACQ. BY SOURCE
SOURCE �
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1. Dr. George Hatem, a US-born physician who has resided. in China since 3.934,
is responsible for establishing the current system of public health in .
China. Hatem oversees the entire health system and. often is referred to
as the Chinese Minister of Public Health; whereas in reality he does not
hold, this position but is the Father of Chinese Public Health. Hatem is
known as Dr Ma Hai-teh, and. his office is at the Fu Chen Men Wai Hospital
in Peking and. not at the Ministry of Public Health. Hatem stated that
the Ministry of Public Health has the second. largest budget in China,
with the Ministry of Defense claiming the largest budget. He did not �
mention any .monetary figures.
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2. Hatem is basically a shy, retiring person who shuns publicity. He was
Chou En-lai's personal representative sent to Switzerland. to assist Edgar
Snow and the Snow family, yet he remained. completely in the background..
stated. that Hatem
is a member of the Chinese Central Committee and. the only foreigner to
hold. such a. position. When Hatem was asked. if he was a member of the
Central Committee, he laughed and. reftwed to confirm or deny the statement.
3. Hatem married a Chinese woman, and they have one son and. one daughter.
Mrs Hatem, Ma Su Feis is a television producer in Peking. Their son, � .
a Yuma, is a photographer for one of the Government magazines in Peking.
atem did not mention his daughter's name or her sob.
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Approved for Release: 2022/08/19 C06955122