Infographic: 50 years since Nixon's China visit

'Handshake that shook the world' was watershed, but superpower ties strained

U.S. President Nixon shakes hands with Chinese President Mao Zedong on Feb. 21, 1972. © AP

Nikkei staff writers

February 21, 2022 01:03 JST

WASHINGTON/BEIJING/TOKYO -- Feb. 21 marks the 50th anniversary of U.S. President Richard Nixon's trip to China, which marked a turning point in relations between the two world powers.

Washington and Beijing joined together to counter the Soviet Union, but despite opening to the rest of the world, China has not democratized as many in the U.S. hoped. Instead, China has become an economic and military powerhouse while remaining firmly under the sole rule of the Communist Party.