On a brisk winter day in February 1972, the 34-year-old American diplomat, Winston Lord, arrived in Beijing with his boss, Henry Kissinger, and president Richard Nixon. Barely an hour after they checked in to their guest house, a message came: “Chairman Mao wants to see president Nixon.” The urgency from Mao resonated with the excitement from the American delegation. The establishment of bilateral relations offered great opportunities for both sides in facing a common enemy: the Soviet Union. For more than two decades since the Chinese communists took over the…
Day: February 20, 2022
How will the Beijing Games be remembered?
When she finished her brilliant run to take gold in the women’s big air, in the stands watching her was Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who’s been at the centre of a storm of controversy. On social media, the former Summer Olympian accused senior Communist Party figure Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault or pressurising her into a sexual relationship, depending on the translation. BBC
Your Monday Briefing: Shelling in Ukraine intensifies
Russia’s imminent invasion? U.S. intelligence learned last week that the Kremlin had ordered an invasion of Ukraine to proceed, prompting a dire warning by President Biden that President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to attack. The new intelligence reveals that 40 to 50 percent of the Russian forces surrounding Ukraine have moved out of staging and into combat formation. Russian artillery fire escalated sharply in eastern Ukraine this weekend, deepening fears of an imminent attack and potentially giving Russia a pretext to invade. Ukrainians reluctantly left their homes, some…
‘Only Nixon Could Go to China’; Only Xi Can Go to America?
Advertisement On February 21, 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon set foot in Beijing, a seminal visit that broke the ice in a relationship that has come to shape – and define – the post-Cold War global order. “Only Nixon could go to China”: the adage from Star Trek remains popular. Besides the observation’s historic importance, it also provides insights for Sino-American relations today. The meaning of the proverb is that only Nixon could have gone to China, given his distinctively hawkish and conservative stance on Sino-American relations during his ascent…
Olympics close with plea for peace
Winter Olympics Closer Hosts: Beijing, China Dates: 4-20 February Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds; live text and highlights on BBC Sport website and mobile app The Beijing Winter Olympics came to a close on Sunday in a touching ceremony. Almost 3,000 athletes competed in 109 events across 15 disciplines during the past two weeks. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called for political leaders “around the world” to be inspired by the athletes’…
Justice Dept. Is Set to Modify Trump-Era Program Aimed at Fighting Chinese Threats
Such losses often fuel the Chinese propaganda machine and hurt U.S. interests. “Every case that goes south, especially one that concerns a minority community, discredits the Justice Department in the minds of the American people,” said David H. Laufman, an official in the department’s national security division during the Obama administration. In announcing changes to the China Initiative, Mr. Olsen is expected to say that the Justice Department will treat some grant fraud cases as civil matters going forward, reserving criminal prosecution for the most egregious instances of deception, according…
Bisquey business: Maine politicians bemoan China lobster deal flop
China has failed to live up to its promise to buy more Maine lobster under a deal that opened the door to an easing of a trade war under Donald Trump, Maine’s congressional leaders say. Maine’s lobster industry was hurt by retaliatory Chinese tariffs in 2018 but failed to see substantial export gains after China committed to buying an additional $200bn in US goods, the delegation contends. Under the “Phase One Agreement”, China was supposed to increase purchases above 2017 levels. But China has bought “almost no lobster above 2017…