1971, July

In early July 1971 Henry Kissinger, President Nixon's Assistant for National Security Affairs, secretly visits China to arrange an official state visit. On July 15, the Chinese and American government simulatneously issue a statement announcing President Nixons intention to travel to China. The news is a political sensation. In a major shift of foreign policy, China and the US are about to establish a new relationship. Due to the historical relevance of the event, the visit is prepared carefully. Henry Kissinger is visiting China a second time with a large delegation to arrange details.
The U.S. Department of State has an excellent web site (Transforming the Cold War: The United States and China, 1969-1980) documenting this first phase in U.S.-China relations (see link below).

External Web Links:

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/88112.htm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/nixon/xviii/index.htm

Image Copyright:

White House photo by Ollie Atkins. Source: National Archives and Records Administration. We assume that this work is in the public domain, because it is a work of the United States Government.