By Lyle Goldstein
Between the Olympics and the Ukraine-Russia crisis, the 50th anniversary of US president Richard Nixon’s visit to China has not received the attention it deserves. That event not only helped transform China and US-China relations, but it played a major role in “winning” the Cold War and ushering in a new, multipolar, globalized system.
Yet as the “New Cold War” with China solidifies, there has never been a more important time to reflect on Nixon’s 1972 visit to Beijing.
It was perhaps the boldest leap for American diplomacy in the 20th century. The visit featured one of the most right-wing, anti-communist figures in American politics sitting down to chat amiably with the world’s most preeminent exponent of Communist revolution.
This piece was originally published in Asia Times on February 23, 2022. Read more HERE.