1972 visit by Richard Nixon to China

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From February 21 to 28, 1972, the president of the United States Richard Nixon visited Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the culmination of his administration's efforts to establish relations with the PRC after years of U.S. diplomatic policy that favored the Republic of China in Taiwan. His visit was the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, with his arrival ending 23 years of no official diplomatic ties between the two countries. Nixon visited the PRC to gain more leverage over relations with the Soviet Union, following the Sino-Soviet split. The normalization of ties culminated in 1979, when the Carter administration transferred diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and established full relations with the PRC. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gained power over mainland China in 1949 and the Kuomintang retreated to the island of Taiwan (a former Qing prefecture turned Japanese colony that was acquired following the surrender of Japan...

Read on Wikipedia · Image President (1969-1974 : Nixon). White House Photo Office. 1969-1974, General Services Administration. National Archives and Records Service. Office of Presidential Libraries. Office of Presidential Pa…, Public domain