2. Strategic Balance Against the Soviet Union
President Nixon’s 1972 visit to China was a calculated move to exploit the Sino-Soviet split, aiming to shift the global balance of power during the Cold War. By engaging with China, the U.S. sought to create a counterweight to Soviet influence, thereby enhancing its strategic position. This approach, known as triangular diplomacy, involved leveraging relations with one country to extract concessions from another. Nixon’s initiative was unprecedented, as no prior U.S. president had engaged directly with Chinese Communist leaders. (history.state.gov)
