Negotiating with the Enemy U.S.-China Talks during the Cold War, 1949-1972 [Hardcover]

A very good attempt to give a coherent and consistent account of the China-U.S. contacts during the Cold War.... [R]eaders will certainly gain a better understanding of this interesting and intricate history. Zhou Wenzhong, Chinese Ambassador to the United States

Few relationships during the Cold War were as dramatic as that between the United States and China. During World War II, China was Americas ally against Japan. By 1949, the two countries viewed each other as adversaries and soon faced off in Korea. For the next two decades, Beijing and Washington were bitter enemies. Negotiating with the Enemy is a gripping account of that period. On several occasionsTaiwan in 1954 and 1958, and Vietnam in 1965the nations were again on the verge of direct military confrontation. However, even as relations seemed at their worst, the process leading to a rapprochement had begun. Dramatic episodes such as the Ping-Pong diplomacy of spring 1971 and Henry Kissingers secret trip to Beijing in July 1971 paved the way for Nixons historic 1972 meeting with Mao.

This is a very good attempt by Xia Yafeng to give a coherent and consistent account of the ChinaU.S. contacts during the early decades of the Cold War. The extensive research he has done is impressive and his readers will certainly gain a better understanding of this interesting and intricate part of the history of the relationship between the two great countries.

Contents<\>
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Note on Transliteration

1. Introduction
2. Establishing Contact: Huang-Stuart Talks, 1949
3. Negotiating While Fighting: The Korean Armistice Talks, 195153
4. Creating a Special Channel: The Ambassadorial Talks, 195560
5. Negotiating at Cross-Purposes: The Ambassadorial Talks, 196168
6. Entering a New Era: Toward Higher-level Talks, January 1969June 1971
7. Breaking the Ice: Kissinger and Haig in Beijing, July ls-