Diplomacy and Policy: How Rhetoric Shaped U.S.-China Relations 1972-1974

Abstract

Normalization of relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States began after U.S. President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China. This paper examines how the foundational document issued at the end of Nixon’s visit, known as the Shanghai Communiqué, shaped the diplomatic rhetoric of U.S.-China relations from 1972 to 1974. Memoranda of conversations and internal communications from the U.S. Department of State reveal how diplomatic rhetoric surrounding the topics of Taiwan and Vietnam was shaped by the principles of the Shanghai Communiqué. The findings of this research were that the Shanghai Communiqué served as an active framework for U.S.-China diplomacy that was effective in negotiating issues surrounding Taiwan but limited what could be done about both countries’ interests in Vietnam.