Chinese Perspectives: Kissinger’s Legacy and the US-China Relationship

On November 29, 2023, Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State, passed away at the age of 100. Dr. Kissinger advised 12 U.S. presidents on foreign policy, from President Kennedy to President Biden. The foreign policies he shaped influenced the lives of billions of people worldwide.

This is especially true when it comes to China. In the early 1970s, Dr. Kissinger, at the instruction of President Richard Nixon, played an important role in opening the door for China to engage with the United States. China has since changed profoundly. In addition, he offered advice in  formulating the American policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan and maintained peace in East Asia for decades, laying the foundation for the region’s prosperity.

In memory of Dr. Kissinger, the US-China Perception Monitor invited a few Chinese and American scholars to submit their assessment of Dr. Kissinger’s legacy. Commentaries by Ambassador Winston Lord and Professor David M. Lampton are already published. Three scholars submitted their evaluation in Chinese. They are Professor Diao Daming from Renmin University, Professor Wu Xinbo from Fudan University and Professor Jian Chen of NYU Shanghai. Translations of their commentaries are posted here.  

Wu Xinbo

Professor, Director of the American Studies Center, Dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University.

There will never be a second Kissinger in the world. There are two reasons for this.

First, Henry Kissinger, born to Jewish immigrants in Germany, immigrated to New York with his family at the age of 15. Due to his early personal experiences, including living through the Nazi era, wars, and upheavals, he placed significant emphasis on stability, peace, and security of the international order. When considering Sino-U.S. relations, he framed them within this broader context. Today, I believe that whether it is in U.S. decision-making regarding China or judgments on international issues, including researchers studying Sino-U.S. relations, there is a lack of the kind of wisdom embodied by Kissinger. Few individuals have such a broad perspective, a global outlook, or the ability to view Sino-U.S. relations within this larger framework.

Second, Kissinger himself served as a bridge and an important emissary between China and the United States. His extensive experience of visiting China over a hundred times facilitated wide-ranging exchanges with Chinese leaders, government officials, and experts, helping the United States better understand China. Kissinger’s long and sincere interactions with the Chinese leadership spanned half a century, involving dealings with leaders since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, a rare experience in the United States. Starting from the Nixon era, multiple U.S. presidents sought Kissinger’s advice on relations with China, many of which were adopted by the U.S. government. During crucial moments in the development of Sino-U.S. relations, Kissinger consistently acted as a messenger, making significant contributions to advancing bilateral ties. After leaving politics, Kissinger chose to share his views on U.S.-China relations with professionals and the public, garnering immense influence. Therefore, Kissinger’s passing is a tremendous loss and a source of infinite regret for those genuinely concerned about the development of Sino-U.S. relations.

People who genuinely care about the development of Sino-U.S. relations remember and commemorate him. People will forever remember his diplomatic philosophy and outstanding contributions to the development of Sino-U.S. relations.

Diao Daming

Professor, School of International Studies, Deputy Director of Institute of American Studies, Renmin University.

On the morning of November 30, 2023 (Beijing time), I arrived at my classroom prepared to lecture my undergraduates in the “History of U.S.-China Relations” course. Before class began, I received a notification on my phone and learned about the passing of Dr. Kissinger. Ironically, the topic I was scheduled to teach this week was the thawing and establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in the 1970s, a significant episode in which Dr. Kissinger played a pivotal role, marking the highlight of his diplomatic career.

Half a century ago, the older generation of leaders from China and the United States, with extraordinary foresight, political courage, and diplomatic wisdom, broke through the icy barriers of mutual isolation, achieving the earth-shattering “handshake across the Pacific” and opening a new chapter in U.S.-China relations. In the more than 50 years that followed, Dr. Kissinger visited China a hundred times, actively and pragmatically influencing the U.S. government’s policies toward China, making crucial contributions to the relationship between the two countries and global peace and stability.

Dr. Kissinger’s role in U.S.-China relations reflects an admirable diplomatic philosophy. It is a philosophy that dares to learn from history, makes decisions responsibly based on historical experiences, and chooses actions from the perspective of a nation capable of playing various roles in the destiny of all humanity. It is a philosophy that transcends domestic political disturbances and fragmentation, making judgments based on the nation’s interests and its people. This is precisely what Washington particularly needs in contemplating its policy toward China at present. With Kissinger’s departure, this need becomes more pronounced and urgent. The United States may not necessarily wait for the next Kissinger; instead, it should encounter new Kissinger-like figures through actions that take responsibility for history, humanity, and the world.

Chen Jian

Director of NYUSH-ECNU Center on Global History, Economy and Culture; Distinguished Global Network Professor of History , NYU-Shanghai and NYU; Hu Shih Professor Emeritus, Cornell University.

Upon hearing the news of Kissinger’s passing, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of “the end of an era.” Just minutes before, I finished proofreading the index for my book “Zhou Enlai: A Life” (to be published by Harvard University Press next spring). It made me reflect on how Zhou Enlai and Kissinger, both diplomatic giants of their time, left behind them a multitude of historical legacy.

One of the most important of these legacies, in my view, is the “Sino-U.S. Shanghai Communique” (中美上海公报) they jointly crafted with their political wisdom and historical vision. This foundational document, unprecedented in diplomatic history, not only articulated the divergences between China and the U.S., but also emphasized the consensus that the two countries shared concerning international norms and rules, with anti-hegemony and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as two main supporting pillars.

What was built by the document is a historical bridge. It links the “liberal world order”– initiated by President Wilson’s “Fourteen Points,” carried forward through President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill’s “Atlantic Charter,” and put into practice by the United Nations Declaration and Charter–with the postwar trends of anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism and the related worldwide changes. It also opened a door for China’s transformation of its international identity from a “revolutionary country” to an “inside member” of the existing international system and institution (which has occurred hand in hand with the grand historical process of China’s “Reform and Opening-Up.”)

In this era of significant historical changes where both China and the world stand at a crossroads in choosing their paths, this is perhaps one of the most important legacies of Kissinger’s that people should remember when paying tribute to him. Indeed, this should serve as a starting point to truly push forward and deepen China’s course of reform and opening-up–with marketization as its core and underlying principles–as well as to continue to promote the globalization process that serves the well-being of all mankind.