As the saying goes, "Weak countries have no diplomacy." Indeed, in the history of international diplomacy, the powerful have always dominated, and the weaker side can only go along with it.
In the 1970s, our country was still in a state of poverty and backwardness. Although it has been more than 20 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, due to many reasons, China is very tired, and there has not yet been a leap forward in economic construction.
With the rupture of Sino-Soviet relations, the United States also realized China's important position in Asia. In order to achieve the strategic layout of the United States in Asia, China is an important factor that cannot be ignored. Therefore, Nixon, who was then US president, decided to visit China and establish Sino-US relations.
It was during this visit to China that Chairman Mao displayed an outstanding diplomatic art and impressed Nixon with just five words.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="4" > changes in U.S.-China relations</h1>
Although after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the United States once became an enemy of China, the two sides had a very unpleasant past. However, during the War of Resistance Against Japan, the United States was China's staunchest ally, and China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was inseparable from the support of the United States.
As a member of the Allies, the United States paid great attention to the situation in the Chinese battlefield and constantly provided materials and equipment to support the Nationalist government at that time in its anti-Japanese resistance. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States directly intervened to fight the Japanese frontally in the Pacific Theater.
After the United States dropped two atomic bombs, Japan surrendered unconditionally, and the eight-year War of Resistance Against Japan finally came to an end. Just when the United States was about to start supporting the Kuomintang government in carrying out post-war economic construction, Chiang Kai-shek, who wanted a single big family, began to start a civil war.
The Kuomintang government, which had lost its popularity, ended in a crushing defeat, and Chiang Kai-shek had to flee to Taiwan. Under the leadership of Chairman Mao, the Communist Party of China liberated all of China and established a proletarian democratic regime, and New China was finally born.
However, the birth of New China also means that the strategic layout of the United States in China has been abandoned. The Kuomintang government, which was once vigorously supported, was in a quiet corner, and it was difficult to make great achievements.
Communism has always been regarded by the United States as its greatest enemy, a Soviet Union has made it difficult for them to sleep and eat, and the founding of New China naturally makes the US government unhappy.
The Korean War launched by the United States later reduced Sino-US relations to a freezing point. After the United States "accidentally bombed" Dandong, Chinese volunteer soldiers officially rushed to the front line to resist the United States and aid Korea. U.S. forces have suffered an unprecedented blow on the Korean battlefield.
At this point, Sino-US relations have completely broken down, completely become hostile countries, and the hope of restoring relations is almost zero. However, with the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations, there has been a glimmer of light in Sino-US relations.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="12" > three confrontations between China and the United States</h1>
Since 1958, the contradictions between China and the Soviet Union have been expanding day by day, and due to huge ideological differences, the Soviet Union's sense of self-superiority is too strong, resulting in great disrespect for China in many foreign affairs. In this case, China and the Soviet Union drifted apart.
After capturing the subtle changes in Sino-Soviet relations, the United States was keenly aware that relations with China were about to take a turn for the better. Their opportunity to redeploy in Asia is coming.
As a result, then-U.S. President Richard Nixon and his staff repeatedly made overtures to China in public. China also responded quickly and friendly to the attitude of the United States. Just as the so-called "multiple friends have many roads", China is not willing to continue to fight with the United States.
However, since neither side can understand the other's true thoughts, both China and the United States are carefully testing how to break the ice has become the key to the recovery of Sino-US relations. Eventually, with the help of the Pakistani government, China and the United States finally made clear each other's attitudes.
So in 1971, Kissinger paid a secret visit to China, paving the way for Nixon to come to China. In the subsequent Sino-US foreign affairs, China and the United States are like two swordsmen competing in this diplomacy.
When announcing Nixon's visit to China, the US side asked the Chinese side to invite President Nixon to visit China in the name of the official. Since China and the United States were still regarded as hostile countries in the outside world at that time, such a demand undoubtedly showed the outside world that China had bowed to the United States.
This demand was rejected by Chairman Mao, but Chairman Mao also said that it could be amended as appropriate, and the face of the United States should also be taken into account when wording.
As a result, the final announcement was amended to read "It was learned that President Nixon had expressed his wish to visit the People's Republic of China and that Premier Zhou Enlai, on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China, invited President Nixon to visit China at an appropriate time before May 1972." ”
In this way, it not only respects the objective facts, but also does not hurt the face of the US government. Later, the United States also proposed that President Nixon take his own car during his visit to China.
In this regard, Chairman Mao solemnly rejected this request and guaranteed President Nixon's absolute safety during his stay in China, eliminating the hidden danger of the United States taking advantage of the opportunity to create public opinion that "there are insecurity factors in China."
The United States did not take advantage of these two things, so it once again proposed that President Nixon's whole broadcast be broadcast live during his stay in China. This demand was reasonable, so Chairman Mao acceded to it.
However, at that time, there was no equipment in China that could meet the live broadcasting. In this regard, the United States said that it can give away a set of equipment to China. This move by the United States is undoubtedly showing its "trench" side, so Chairman Mao said that if it did not go to the United States to buy it, it would resolutely not accept such a gift.
When Chinese representatives went to buy, the United States took the opportunity to raise prices and make a lot of money. Just when the United States thought that it would win back a round, the Chinese side proposed that according to international practice, the US side needed to pay rent to the Chinese side during the live broadcast, and the price was the amount spent by the Chinese side during the purchase.
After these three rounds of competition, the Americans realized that they were dealing with a seemingly poor and backward country, but in fact full of confidence. Although these three confrontations have caused the United States a slight setback, they still do not hurt and be angry, which is the highest state of diplomatic art.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="6" > Nixon's heart</h1>
After intensive preparations, Nixon finally came to China smoothly. When Nixon met Chairman Mao, he was surprised by the simple president of the country. He had no idea that the supreme leader of a country, whether dressed or everyday, was extremely simple.
Nixon, accustomed to a life of luxury, was puzzled. In his view, the life of a lord of a country could never be so shabby. In this regard, Kissinger explained to him that Chairman Mao's pants had been worn for five years, with several patches on them, and that Chairman Mao was concerned about the lives of the people rather than his own.
Nixon realized only after hearing Kissinger's explanation that he had never imagined that there would really be leaders who always put the people first, and only then did he realize how small he was.
Toward the end of the meeting, Nixon wanted to know more about Chairman Mao and asked, "What are your hobbies?" "It is intended to understand Chairman Mao's interests and hobbies, to do what he likes, and to find more common topics in the future."
Faced with this question, Chairman Mao replied with only 5 words: "Serve the people." When he heard this answer, Nixon was completely impressed by Chairman Mao's charm and finally knew that Chairman Mao's hard work and simplicity were not a show.
In response, Nixon bowed deeply to Chairman Mao as a student respected his teacher. And this visit to China was indeed like Chairman Mao taught him a lesson for Nixon.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="9" > conclusion</h1>
Nixon's visit to China was a very important turning point in Sino-US relations. It was precisely this visit to China that restored Sino-US relations and laid the foundation for China's subsequent reform and opening up.
This visit to China also left a deep impression on Nixon, letting him understand that the real strength is not the ship's strong guns, nor the wealth, but the degree of retreat, not humble and unassuming. And the real leader of the state is not a person who is arrogant and lascivious and acts as a blessing, but a person who always has his heart set on the people.