Sino-American Relation Détente And Sino-Soviet Border Conflict In 1969

The dissertation bases on declassified documents of Foreign Relation of the United States, and offers a reinterpretation of Sino-American détente. The essence of American policy towards China is that the deepening Sino-Soviet split and the emergence of China as a global power presented the Nixon administration with an opportunity to establish relations with the PRC which, by serving as a counterweight to the Soviet Union, would provide additional leverage for extracting concessions from Moscow.The dissertation includes three sections as follow:Preface: mainly narrates the article's present situation of academic research on this topic and practical significance.Body: explores the regulation and evolution of American government's China policy, and a momentous change in global diplomacy.Section one briefly introduces the past policy on the Sino-Soviet split throughout Kennedy Administration to Johnson Administration, and analyses background Nixon Administrations faced with in 1969. There are many essential factors influenced the American diplomacy, such as China's nuclear threats, relation with ROC and war in Vietnam. Nixon represented an attempt to harmonize the American vast global interests and commitments with its declining capabilities and the emergence of a multipolar world order.Section two presents American opportunities in the Sino-Soviet border conflict on Zhenbao Island in 1969, which was the most serious bloody conflict. On the other side, a nuclear war was threatening the world. Given the Sino-Soviet border conflict, suspicions on both sides of the Sino-Soviet border gave Washington an opportunity to influence the situation through triangular diplomacy. With the goals in mind, Nixon came to office determined to pursue an opening to China.Section three is about qualitative analysis and significance of establishment of normal relation with China. Kissinger typically placed triangular diplomacy within a broad concept of geostrategy. Nixon similarly characterized triangular diplomacy. Nixon discovered that playing the "China card" had worked its magic throughout the U.S.-Soviet relation. The U.S. played this balance of power game, because they need the Chinese to correct the Russians, and to discipline the Russians. As this reason, must Sino-American relation détente be restricted.Conclusion evaluates the American policy to China, and illustrates the specific nature of Sino-American relation.