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50 years since Nixon visited China

50 years since Nixon visited China
In February 1972, US president Richard Nixon defied conventional foreign policy wisdom when he arrived in Beijing for meetings with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. In recognition of the trip’s historical significance, the South China Morning Post is running a multimedia series exploring interesting points of the past 50 years in US-China relations.
President Donald Trump and first ladies Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan listen as China’s President Xi Jinping speaks during a State Dinner in the East Room of the White House on Thursday. Photo: AP
2026 Xi-Trump summits

From wine to ping-pong, Trump and Xi’s state dinner leans on historic symbolism

Trump invokes 1868 Burlingame Treaty to highlight deep roots of relationship; Xi speaks of WWII ‘friendship forged in blood and fire’.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Trump era could herald the end of ideology in US-China relations

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US-China relations

Open Questions | Former US diplomat on upcoming election, ‘adversarial antagonism’ with China

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US-China relations

Open Questions | Former Nixon interpreter laments fraying US-China ties

Chas Freeman argues that respectful cooperation between the US and China would benefit both sides. He says China can’t afford to maintain a low profile and counsels the Chinese to do more “lovable” actions, including taking on global mediation as it did with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

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Former Nixon interpreter sees ‘unhealthy’ US-China ties, decries Gaza war
US presidential election 2024

Opinion | Kamala Harris could be the next Richard Nixon on US-China relations

Vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz’s views on China raise the chances of a badly needed Nixon-like initiative by a Harris administration.

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US-China relations

Henry Kissinger: China pays highest tribute as President Xi sends condolences

Chinese leader sends message to US counterpart Joe Biden, says ‘Kissinger’s name will forever be associated with China-US relations’.

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National People's Congress (NPC)

China passes new law to tackle growing telecoms and online fraud

Focus on cross-border cooperation as tough law enforcement in China sees fraudsters set up base in neighbouring countries.

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National People’s Congress deputies at a meeting in Beijing on August 31. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Opinion | China must be the bigger person over Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

While on the US side, the timing of the trip suggests an attempt to distract voters from troubles at home, for China it comes as a provocation amid already-high tensions. The temptation for Beijing will be to speed up cross-strait unification, but the world needs at least one global power to show restraint.

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US-China relations

Opinion | World awaits China’s decision on how to handle its Russian ‘grey rhino’

The chaos created by Russia stands in sharp contrast to China’s nuanced, considered approach and puts Beijing’s goals at risk. Fifty years after Nixon’s visit to China reshaped the global order, the world again waits for Beijing to decide where its geopolitical interests lie.

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Diplomacy

Fifty years later, despite US pivot, Taiwan has done well economically

The self-ruled island built itself into a powerhouse, first with cheaply manufactured products then as an indispensable player in the tech industry.

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Illustration: Joe Lo
US-China relations

The handshake that turned Taiwan towards a new future

Chiang Ching-kuo inherited his father’s ambitions to retake mainland China but Washington’s embrace of Beijing shattered those hopes.

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Illustration: SCMP Graphics
Diplomacy

When Nixon met Mao: ping-pong tables charted a path to the negotiating tables

‘Finding ways to bring the two peoples together, we just have to look for them’ is the reminder, more than 50 years later.

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Global Impact

Does Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China still carry weight?

In this issue of Global Impact, we mark the 50th anniversary of US president Richard Nixon flying to China to meet Chairman Mao. 

Pandas

50 years of panda diplomacy: the softest power meets hard reality

Lingling and Xingxing arrived in Washington in 1972 as a symbolic offering of friendship between the US and China, sparking panda fever around the world. As history has shown, the era of comity did not last, although the bears’ popularity has.

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Illustration by Henry Wong

Winston Lord, then-special assistant to Kissinger, recalls Nixon's historic China summit

Video: Winston Lord, then-special assistant to Kissinger, recalls Nixon's historic China summit
Diplomacy

Opinion | Alarm over ‘China-Russia axis’ revives outdated Cold War mentality

Talk of a Sino-Russia-US ‘strategic triangle’ forces an outdated framework onto a changing, multipolar world and increases the risk of a great-power conflict. Such rhetoric is made more dangerous given that the real struggle of the 21st century – climate change – must be fought collectively, not between rival powers.

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US-China relations

China warned US ties will worsen further unless it shifts stance on Ukraine

The ongoing Russian invasion cast a shadow over Beijing’s efforts to mark a key diplomatic milestone from Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China.

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US-China relations

How landmark Shanghai Communique shaped China-US ties for past 50 years

Joint statement released on last day of US president’s visit in 1972 is arguably the most important breakthrough agreement in the history of US-China relations.

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The Shanghai Communique, drafted by Zhou Enlai and Henry Kissinger, became arguably the most important breakthrough agreement in the history of the US-China relations. Image: SCMP Graphic

Editorial | Just as 50 years ago, Sino-US ties rest on leaders with wisdom

Mao Zedong and Richard Nixon were ideological opposites, but put their differences aside to make the world a better place.

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US-China relations

Winston Lord, in the room with Mao and Nixon, on US-China relations then and now

‘We opened up for geopolitical, economic, security reasons, and we hoped – as an added plus – this would loosen up the Chinese political system. But engagement was not preconditioned on that.’

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Video | Winston Lord on Nixon's 1972 trip to China

Winston Lord, then-special assistant to Kissinger, recalls Nixon's historic China summit
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50 years since Nixon visited China

Opinion | Why Nixon was right to gamble on China

Critics in Washington who blame the US policy of engagement with China for aiding the rise of a geopolitical threat have conveniently forgotten the many economic and geopolitical benefits the US itself gained in its wake.

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US president Richard Nixon toasts with Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in February 1972 in Beijing, during his official visit to China. Photo: AFP

Video | When Nixon went to China

US-China relations

50 years since Nixon visited China

In February 1972, US president Richard Nixon defied conventional foreign policy wisdom when he arrived in Beijing for meetings with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. In recognition of the trip’s historical significance, the South China Morning Post is running a multimedia series exploring interesting points of the past 50 years in US-China relations.

US-China relations

When Nixon met Mao: 50 years later, reverberations are still felt

A hinge point in modern history, the US president’s trip to China outflanked the USSR and helped bring Beijing out of international isolation.

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Illustration: SCMP Graphics
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