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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.

last updated:

9 September, 2024

US-China relations

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

Former Nixon interpreter says that with vision and diplomacy, US and China could have ties ‘grounded in equality and mutual benefit’.

17 Sep 2024 - 11:51AMvideocam

US presidential election 2024

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

20 Aug 2024 - 2:30PMvideocam

US-China relations

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

1 Dec 2023 - 1:31AMvideocam

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.

2 Sep 2022 - 10:21PMvideocam

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.

9 Aug 2022 - 8:38AMvideocam

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.

22 Apr 2022 - 2:22AMvideocam

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.

6 Apr 2022 - 1:05AMvideocam

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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.

30 Mar 2022 - 8:00AMvideocam

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.

29 Mar 2022 - 12:58AMvideocam

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.

7 Mar 2022 - 2:00PM

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.

10 Mar 2022 - 7:44AMvideocam

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

3 Mar 2022 - 12:59PM

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.

1 Mar 2022 - 2:08AMvideocam

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.

9 Mar 2022 - 1:14PMvideocam

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Richard Nixon and Chinese premier Zhou Enlai pictured during the US president’s 1972 visit to China. Photo: AP

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.

28 Feb 2022 - 6:00PMvideocam

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.

26 Feb 2022 - 9:30PM

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.’

21 Feb 2022 - 8:05AMvideocam

Winston Lord on Nixon's 1972 trip to China

20 Feb 2022 - 10:30PM

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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.

19 Feb 2022 - 3:29AMvideocam

When Nixon went to China

16 Feb 2022 - 7:00PM

US-China relations