Historian Evelyn Goh argues, from the Chinese perspective; that China, by inviting Nixon, intended not to form a de facto alliance but rather a détente, ideally to prevent conflict with both powers simultaneously. At the same time, China was also not prepared to rely solely on the US. This could be demonstrated by Zhou Enlai agreeing with the US that USSR is implementing a policy of expansionism, while simultaneously stating that China was willing to improve its relationship with Moscow. Goh argues that normalization of relations was for China to ‘concentrate on their main Soviet adversary’. In other words, forming a trilateral balance of power in the
Historian Evelyn Goh argues, from the Chinese perspective; that China, by inviting Nixon, intended not to form a de facto alliance but rather a détente, ideally to prevent conflict with both powers simultaneously. At the same time, China was also not prepared to rely solely on the US. This could be demonstrated by Zhou Enlai agreeing with the US that USSR is implementing a policy of expansionism, while simultaneously stating that China was willing to improve its relationship with Moscow. Goh argues that normalization of relations was for China to ‘concentrate on their main Soviet adversary’. In other words, forming a trilateral balance of power in the