Published : 2025-02-21
From February 21 to 28, 1972, then U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China at the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai (周恩來) of China's State Council, accompanied by Mrs. Nixon, U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers, National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, and other U.S. government officials.
It was the first visit to the People's Republic of China (PRC) by a sitting U.S. President in history.
Nixon's special plane arrived on Feb 21, and on the same afternoon, Chairman Mao Zedong of the Communist Party of China Central Committee invited him for a meeting.
The two leaders exchanged serious and candid views on China-U.S. relations and international affairs. Zhou Enlai had extensive discussions with Nixon on the normalisation of bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern.
Subsequently, on Feb 28, China and the U.S. issued the "Joint Communiqué of the People's Republic of China and the United States of America" in Shanghai.
It stated, "The two sides agreed that countries, regardless of their social systems, should conduct their relations on the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, non-aggression against other states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence", and "progress toward the normalization of relations between China and the United States is in the interests of all countries".
In the joint communiqué, both sides clarified their respective positions and attitudes towards the international situation.
China reiterated that "the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China," "Taiwan is a province of China," "the liberation of Taiwan is China's internal affair in which no other country has the right to interfere," and "all U.S. forces and military installations must be withdrawn from Taiwan".
The U.S. stated that "the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position", and affirmed the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces and military installations from Taiwan.
At the same time, China and the U.S. also agreed to expand the understanding between the peoples of the two countries and to enhance connections and exchanges in science, technology, culture, and sports.
The issuance of this Joint Communiqué of the People's Republic of China and the United States of America marked a gradual move towards normalisation of relations between China and the U.S. after over 20 years of mutual antagonism.
