JAKARTA - On December 15, 1978, a dramatic announcement was made by the President of the United States (US) Jimmy Carter. Carter stated that starting January 1, 1979, the US would formally recognize the communist People's Republic of China (PRC) and cut ties with Taiwan.
“The United States recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate Government of China,” said Jimmy Carter, reading a joint communique released in Washington DC, USA and Beijing, China.
Citing History following the success of Mao Zedong's revolution in China in 1949, the US firmly refused to recognize the communist regime in China. The US favors the Nationalist China government established by Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan. The US also supplies weapons to Taiwan. In 1950, during the Korean War, the US and Taiwanese armed forces clashed. During the 1960s, the US was outraged by Taiwan's support and assistance to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Carter's announcement that he would cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan angered many in the US Congress. The Taiwan Relations Act was quickly passed in retaliation. This gives Taiwan almost the same status as any other country recognized by the US and also mandates that arms sales continue to the Nationalist government. At the US embassy in Taiwan, the "unofficial" representative, called the American Institute in Taiwan, will continue to serve US interests in the country.
From the US Government's point of view, closer ties with China could yield economic and political benefits. US business leaders are eager to exploit the huge potential of the Chinese market. Past US presidents such as Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford signaled a change by visiting China.
During Carter's tenure, he continued to demonstrate that he would maintain good relations with China. He used closer diplomatic ties with China to pressure Russia to be more lenient on a range of issues, including arms control. China also wants better relations with the US.
China also wants better relations with its old foe. China is looking for a major increase in trade with the US that would result from a normalized relationship and is especially looking forward to the technology it may acquire from the US.
Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping said that US businessmen could continue their business in Taiwan after the normalization of Sino-US relations. Acknowledging that Taiwan's economic conditions are better than in mainland China, Teng Hsiao-ping said that China does not want to lower Taiwan's standard of living.
US President Ronald Reagan and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang (Wikimedia Commons)
On the other hand, China is also looking for allies to fight Taiwan. China's military standoff with its former ally, Vietnam, was ongoing at the time and Vietnam had a mutual agreement with the Soviet Union.
On January 1, 1979, Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter, former US President Jimmy Carter, signed an agreement to normalize US-China relations. The two also stated that although the two countries had many differences, they also found similarities.
US-China relations afterRelations between the US and China continued to exist after the Jimmy Carter administration. The next president, Ronald Reagan, continued to maintain relations with China, although he also did not give up relations with Taiwan. The Reagan administration issued “Six Guarantees” to Taiwan, including a promise that it would respect the Taiwan Relations Act, would not mediate between Taiwan and China, and had no set timetable for stopping arms sales to Taiwan.
Citing cfr.org, in August 1982, the Reagan Administration signed a third joint communiqué with China to normalize relations. Although Ronald Reagan voiced support for stronger relations with Taiwan, his administration worked to improve US-China relations at the height of US concerns over Soviet expansionism.
However, the relationship between China and the US is also not so harmonious. The US government briefly suspended military sales to China and froze relations after the Tiananmen incident.
In 1999, NATO accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during its campaign against Serbian forces occupying Kosovo. The US and NATO apologize for a series of US intelligence errors that led to the deadly bombing of the Chinese Embassy. But thousands of Chinese demonstrators have protested and even damaged official US property.
Most vividly in memory, the heated relationship between the US and China during the administration of President Donald Trump. The trade war and mutual blame for the COVID-19 pandemic are making headlines around the world. China was further inflamed when Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
The law authorizes the US to sanction individuals responsible for human rights abuses in Hong Kong. Chinese officials condemned the move, imposed sanctions on several US-based organizations, and suspended visits by US warships to Hong Kong.
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