Why did China try to improve relations with the US after 1970? (10) Flashcards
What characterises the relationship between China and the USA?
During the 1950s and 1960s, suspicion and tension characterized the relationship between China and the USA.
Why were China and the USA suspicious of each other?
The USA feared that China would try to spread communism in Asia, just as the USSR had supported the establishment of communist governments in Eastern Europe. China in turn was suspicious of the USA because of its support for Taiwan and its role in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Why did China’s relationship with the USA improve?
- In the late 1960s attitudes among China’s leaders towards the USA started to change. They no longer saw the USA as such a threat in the region, after the setbacks to the USA in the war in Vietnam, as well as the strength of opposition to the war in the USA itself.
- In addition, after the end of the Cultural Revolution, there were fewer objections among Chinese leaders to seeking better relations with the USA, This was partly because tension between China and the USSR was increasing at the time and there was a possibility that this would lead to war between the two communist countries.
What did some Chinese leaders call for in regards to their relationship with the USA?
‘Peaceful coexistence’
What was ping pong diplomacy?
When the American table tennis team visited China in 1971, this was hailed as a major breakthrough because it was the first cultural or sporting contact between the US and Communist China. Some people referred to it as’ ping-pong diplomacy.
What did the USA withdraw?
Also in 1971 the US withdrew its opposition to China’s membership of the United Nations, and at last it was admitted to the UN, replacing Taiwan as a permanent member of the Security Council.
What major event in 1972 made it clear to the rest of world that there was a change of policy in both China and the US?
In 1972, Nixon became the first US president to visit China. This official visit made it clear to the rest of the world that there was a change of policy in both China and the US.
What made the US realise it needed to change its foreign policy in Asia?
The situation in Vietnam had made the US realize that it needed to change its foreign policy in Asia.
Although the US still recognized Taiwan, it also acknowledged the need for the future ___ of China.
Unity
What did the US agree in regards to protection?
The US agreed that it would protect China from Soviet attacks, while the Chinese agreed that they would stop supporting the North Vietnamese. The visit was the start of better relations between the two countries which increased especially after Mao’s death in 1976.
Nixon’s visit was followed by a visit by ______ in 1976, and a visit to the USA in 1979 by ____ _____, Mao’s successor as the dominant leader in China.
President Ford
Deng Xiaoping
In ___ the USA finally formally recognized the People’s Republic of China, even though it also committed itself to continued support for Taiwan.
1979
Who Deng Xiaoping and what did he want to reform in China?
Shortly after Mao’s death, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the leader of China. He was the leader of a group that wanted to reform the Chinese economy by adapting (not abandoning) some of the strict centralized controls associated with communism.
What is Market Leninism?
Mixture of capitalist incentives with reduced communist controls (such as allowing foreign investment, and allowing small businesses to be privately owned and people working to make a profit).
What was the result of Deng’s reforms?
As a result of these reforms, by the 1980s China’s economy was booming. The standard of living of millions of Chinese improved, and China later became the largest market in the world for material goods such as TV sets, cell phones, and cars, as well as for luxury goods.
What was key to creating a boom in China’s economy?
A key factor in creating this boom was China’s willingness to open up to foreign trade and investment.
What were the Special economic zones (called SEZS) that were established?
Regions with low taxes and other incentives, to encourage the production of goods for export as well as foreign investment.
Why did many international companies switch to manufacturing their products in China?
Many international companies switched to manufacturing their products in China because it had a huge labor force and few labor regulations.
However, despite its willingness to allow capitalist economic practices, the Chinese government was not prepared to allow democratic reforms. Provide an example to support this statement.
This was clearly demonstrated in 1989 when the government ordered troops to crush student protesters in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
Did the events in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, harm China’s foreign trade industry?
Although the outside world was shocked by the brutality of the crackdown, it did not stop their eagerness to trade with and invest in China’s booming economy.
What did the massive economic growth in China lead to?
The dramatic industrial growth in China led to a massive demand for raw materials and resources. As a result, China began to invest heavily in other parts of the world, especially Africa, to access products such as coal, oil, and other mineral resources.
One measure of China’s increasing influence in the world is its position as a leading member of ____ (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). This is an economic grouping formed by the leading emerging economies. They are all countries that have large economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs.
BRICS
What is BRICS?
This is an economic grouping formed by the leading emerging economies. They are all countries that have large economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs.
