History Hub

I'm puzzled by your final comment NE Juano. Nixon did open a dialogue with China which seems to me to have been the logical thing to do. Trying to pretend the nation with the world's largest population and enormous industrial potential didn't exist was idiotic. I will admit that the policies of leaders like Reagan and the two Bush's have probably damaged America's relationship with China, but I fail to see how Nixon can be blamed for that.

Your statement assumes, as a lawyer might say, ''facts not in evidence''.

Quoted from this message

Erik,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
(Note to self: don't post on the messageboard and then go away for two weeks )

The point I was alluding to was that whilst Nixon opened up the US to China diplomatically and economically it has been very much a one way street in China's favour. To such an extent that the US has a massive budget trade deficit from gorging itself on cheap chinese imports. Not only does this leave the US increasing vunerable to the holders of US debt but it has also contributed to the decline in much of the american industrial base as production has been shipped out east. There were short term gains in allowing this tide of cheap chinese imports but the costs are only now beginning to be felt and will become increasingly painful for the american people, IMO. I think if Nixon could look back on how this has panned out he would have been far more conservative in expanding trade with China and in the long run this would have been better for the American people.