Shanghai Communique of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China Laid a Good Foundation for the Normalization of Sino-US Relations

In February 1972, President Richard Nixon of the United States of America visited the People’s Republic of China at the invitation of Premier Chou Enlai, and the door to Sino-US exchanges reopened. During Nixon's visit to China, China and the United States issued the "Sino-US Joint Communique" (Shanghai Communique) in Shanghai on February 28, 1972. The Sino-US "Shanghai Communique" officially started the process of normalizing Sino-US relations.

At the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai of the People’s Republic of China, the President of the United States of America, Richard Nixon, visited the People’s Republic of China from February 21 to February 28, 1972. Accompanying the President were Mrs. Nixon, US Secretary of State William Rogers, Assistant to President Dr. Henry Kissinger and other US officials. The leaders of the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America had not been in contact for many years. Now they had the opportunity to introduce each other’s views on various issues frankly. The two sides believed that it was beneficial. President Nixon, Mrs. Nixon and the US side expressed their gratitude to the government and people of the People's Republic of China for their polite hospitality.

President Nixon met with Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party of China, on February 21. The two leaders exchanged views earnestly and frankly on Sino-US relations and international affairs. During the visit, President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai conducted extensive, serious and frank discussions on the normalization of relations between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China and other issues of mutual concern. In addition, Secretary of State William Rogers and Foreign Minister Ji Pengfei also held talks in the same spirit. President Nixon and his party visited Beijing, visited cultural, industrial and agricultural projects, and visited Hangzhou and Shanghai, where they continued discussions with Chinese leaders and visited similar projects.

The most crucial content in the “Shanghai Communique” is the US's elaboration of the one-China policy.

In the communiqué, the US side declared: “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. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area of diminishes.”