The 1971 Ping-Pong Diplomacy

that USSR was no longer fully reliable. The 1971 Ping-Pong Diplomacy can be viewed as the demonstration of a friendly gesture to America Facing the deteriorating relationship with the Soviets, China set aside their ideological differences and other issues, such as the Taiwan problem, agreeing on the Sino-American Rapprochement. For the next part of the essay, I will focus on the how various historians’ viewed the significance of Nixon’s speech and his trip. The orthodox historical analyst of the announcement was that it marked the end of the hostile relationship between the most powerful nation and the most populous nation, and marked the beginning of an era of cooperation between the two great nations. While other historians challenge this interpretation of the level of cooperation between China and the US and argue that the partnership was strategic; China was reluctant to end its relationship with the USSR. Historians like Rosemary Foot argue that the significance of the visit is in normalizing the China and US relationship, and keeping a certain …show more content…
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