1964, January 27

France is the first major country in the West to establish formal diplomatic relations with China. This is a major success for China and a direct blow to the United States, which had tried to isolate the communist country. The Sino-French relations are used by General de Gaulle to demonstrate France's souvereignity and independence.

External Web Links:

http://www.ideesdefrance.fr/France-China-Relations.html