Entwicklung der chinesischen Außenpolitik seit der kommunistischen MAchtübernahme. Bruch mit dem Westen - Annäherung an die UdSSR - Bruch mit den Sowjets - Aufnahme diplomatischer Beziehungen mit den USA
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. China’s decision to lean to one side
3. Korean War
4. A stronger China: The Geneva Conference
5. A stronger China: the Bandung Conference 1955
6. The Sino-Soviet Split
7. The Sino-American Rapprochement
8. Conclusion
9. Part TWO: Source Appendix
9.1 “Preliminary Opinions on the Assessment of and Preparation for the Geneva Conference,” Prepared by the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs (drafted by PRC Premier and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai) and Approved in Principle at a Meeting of the CCP Central Secretariat, 2 March 1954 [Excerpt]
9.2 Minutes, Mao’s Conversation with a Yugoslavian Communist Union Delegation, Beijing, [undated] September 1956
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the evolution of China’s foreign policy between 1949 and 1979, specifically investigating the factors behind the shift from a Soviet-aligned stance to a rapprochement with the United States. It examines how domestic challenges, national security concerns, and shifting global power dynamics influenced Beijing's strategic decisions during the early Cold War era.
- The formation and eventual breakdown of the Sino-Soviet alliance.
- China's diplomatic emergence during the Geneva and Bandung conferences.
- The impact of the Korean War on Chinese security and foreign strategy.
- The role of internal domestic issues, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, in foreign policy realignment.
- The strategic pivot toward the United States in the 1970s.
Excerpt from the Book
China’s decision to lean to one side
The foundations to China’s decision to break with the West have been made in the Civil War. The US supported the GMD (Kuomintang - Nationalists) under Chiang Kai-schek, who fought against Mao. The USSR supported the CCP (China Communist Party) during the Civil War, although not very strong. After the end of the war in 1949, both governments felt a need to strengthen their relationship. There are many reasons, why Mao decided to lean to one side, meaning only to establish relations with other communist countries as he mentions in his speech in June 1949:
“Externally, unite in a common struggle with those nations of the world which treat us as equal and unite with the peoples of all countries. That is, ally ourselves with the Soviet Union, with the People's Democratic countries, and with the proletariat and the broad masses of the people in all other countries, and form an international united front.... We must lean to one side.”
Beijing wanted to make a new start and to clean the house, and the country hoped for more economic and military assistance from the SU. Furthermore Mao used the rhetoric, that the US would be China’s enemy, to continue his revolution. A major step in building the Sino-Soviet friendship was the Mao-Stalin summit in 1949/50 where the two dictators met the only time face to face.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the research, focusing on China's transition from Soviet partnership to rapprochement with the US.
2. China’s decision to lean to one side: It discusses the geopolitical motivations behind Mao Zedong’s 1949 decision to align the People's Republic of China with the Soviet Union.
3. Korean War: This section analyzes China’s intervention in the Korean War and how security concerns drove this engagement, despite the risks of a direct confrontation with the US.
4. A stronger China: The Geneva Conference: The chapter explores China's entry onto the global diplomatic stage and its efforts to project influence through multilateral conferences.
5. A stronger China: the Bandung Conference 1955: It examines China's pursuit of leadership among developing nations and the declaration of the five principles of peaceful co-existence.
6. The Sino-Soviet Split: This chapter details the ideological and tactical frictions that led to the rupture between Beijing and Moscow.
7. The Sino-American Rapprochement: It explains the strategic shift in the 1970s, driven by security threats and the need for economic modernization.
8. Conclusion: This summary synthesizes the major transformations in Chinese foreign policy across the three decades of study.
9. Part TWO: Source Appendix: This section provides primary source documents and analysis regarding Mao's diplomatic strategies and conversations.
Keywords
China, Foreign Policy, Cold War, Mao Zedong, Sino-Soviet Relations, Soviet Union, United States, Geneva Conference, Bandung Conference, Korean War, Diplomacy, Rapprochement, Imperialism, Communism, National Security.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this work?
The essay explores how China’s foreign policy underwent radical changes between 1949 and 1979, shifting from a firm alliance with the Soviet Union to a rapprochement with the United States.
What are the central themes of the analysis?
The central themes include national security, the management of ideological alliances, the pursuit of status as a global power, and the adaptation of domestic revolutionary goals to international diplomacy.
What is the primary research objective?
The work aims to explain the underlying motives for China's dramatic foreign policy shifts and how the country navigated its relations within the "superpower triangle" of the US, the USSR, and China.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author primarily employs a historical-documentary approach, analyzing primary Chinese documents, diplomatic transcripts, and secondary literature to reconstruct the rationale behind Beijing's decisions.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The text covers the early post-war alignment, the impact of the Korean War, China's diplomatic efforts at the Geneva and Bandung conferences, the roots of the Sino-Soviet split, and the eventual opening to the West.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include China, Cold War, Sino-Soviet relations, foreign policy, rapprochement, diplomacy, Mao Zedong, and national security.
How did the Korean War influence China’s diplomatic stance?
The war increased China's security anxieties, forcing the country to rely on the USSR for military aid while simultaneously highlighting the limits of that partnership and driving the desire for greater self-reliance.
Why did Mao decide to pursue a rapprochement with the United States despite his revolutionary rhetoric?
The rapprochement was a strategic necessity to counter the security threat posed by the Soviet Union and to obtain the economic markets and technology required for national modernization after the failure of the Great Leap Forward.
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- Andreas Staggl (Autor:in), 2010, China's foreign policy, 1949-1979, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/191649
