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The United States Establishes Diplomatic Relations with Mainland China
In 1979, during Jimmy Carter's presidency, the United States formally recognizes the People's Republic of China (PRC) diplomatically, as well as the PRC's One China principle. The official document, known as the Shanghai Communiqué leads to the United States ending formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, acknowledging that the PRC is the sole representative government of China, while maintaining friendly informal relations with Taiwan. As a result Premier Deng Xiaoping visits the United States. -
The United States Continues to Improve Relations with China While Continuing Arms Sales to Taiwan
During his presidency, Ronald Reagan and his administration continues the improvement of U.S. China relations by resolving the issue of U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan. Culminating in the "Six Assurances" and the third joint communiqué both the U.S. and China made concessions, with the U.S. focusing on reducing arms sales to Taiwan to respect Chinese sovereignty, while still respecting the Taiwan Relations Act, and China focusing on remaining peaceful in regards to Taiwan. -
Ronald Reagan Visits China
Marking the second time a U.S. president had visited China under the People's Republic of China since Nixon's trip in 1972, Ronald Reagan went to China to improve Sino-American relations. The trip included tours of cultural and historical places in China under the direction of Li Xiannian as well as a banquet. While this trip was highly publicized under Reagan's design and sought to show the improving relations, the trip failed to solve the diplomatic debate over Taiwanese independence. -
The Tiananmen Square Massacre
Although things were looking up for U.S. China relations due to economic reforms by the Chinese and attempts on both sides to establish normal relations, during George H.W. Bush's presidency the Tiananmen Square Massacre harmed progress immensely. In 1989 university students convened in Tiananmen Square to demonstrate against the government. The Chinese government responded violently by calling them counter-revolutionaries and attacked the protesters with tanks. This halted U.S.-China relations. -
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
While Taiwan was getting ready to hold its first presidential election as a country, China attempted to make a show of strength by performing military exercises and firing missiles near Taiwan, most likely to shift the vote to the less independent driven candidate. This prompted the U.S. to intervene by deploying naval forces to end the Chinese aggression towards Taiwan. China could not stop the U.S. from helping Taiwan and the pro-independent candidate ended up winning. -
U.S. Accidental Bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade
On May 7, 1999 a tragedy occurred when a miscalculation on the part of the United States led to the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade instead of the Yugoslav Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement. This event enraged people in China with many believing that it had not just been an accident. Despite Bill Clinton's immediate apology, since it was not allowed to be broadcast in China, the U.S. consular offices were wracked with protests. A settlement was made by the end of 1999. -
Clinton resumes U.S. China Trade
Bill Clinton signs the US-China Trade Relations Act of 2000, signifying better relations between the countries and paving the way for the two to become interdependent in their trade. -
Handling the Plane Crash
In 2001, a crisis threatens to break out between the U.S. and China when a U.S. Navy spy plane crashes into a Chinese fighter jet, killing the pilot of the Chinese aircraft and forcing the spy plane and its crew to make an emergency landing. Both sides claim the other was at fault and the U.S. crew was detained in China. Fortunately, it was defused quickly through a written letter from the U.S. to China, which was ambiguous enough to satisfy both countries thoughts on the matter. -
Bush Signals Support For Taiwan
George W. Bush said that he would do "whatever it takes" to defend Taiwan from a Chinese assault. Although this had been implicitly stated, he was the first president to say it so outwardly. This signified a slight change in U.S.-China relations as the U.S. puts more pressure on China to not attack Taiwan, however Bush claimed that the U.S. still respected the One-China policy and that Taiwan should not try to fight for independence. -
Obama Meets With President Xi Jinping
In perhaps one of the most important meetings between the leaders of the U.S. and China, Obama and Xi Jinping discuss about issues concerning both the U.S. and China. In particular, they agree to make policies combating climate change as well as both wanting to lower North Korea's nuclear weapons program. This meeting shows a great improvement in U.S.-China relations and paves the way for other discussions between the U.S. and China concerning other issues. -
U.S. and China Ratify Climate Agreements
As the two biggest producers of carbon emissions, the U.S. and China are both key players in climate change. In some ways this is fortunate because in brings them together like in 2016, when this issue allowed for the countries to come together and fight against a common foe. -
Trump's Phone Call to Taiwan
In a crisis of broken protocol, Donald Trump made a phone call to the leader of Taiwan. Whether this was the result of inexperience with Chinese policy and the One-China policy or a calculated risk by Trump to show that he will change China's policies as he mentioned in his campaign, the result of this is an increase in scrutiny between the U.S. and China. Both may be pursuing structer policies with the other.
