Notes for World History
DETENTE: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FROM 1970s TO 1990s [4]
Relations between China and USSR
- Russia and China had signed a friendship treaty in 1950, but later Chinese turned down this treaty as Khrushchev’s policies advocated to achieve Communism by non-violent means, a policy against the ideas of Lenin. In retaliation, Russia reduced their economic aid to China.
- Further, during the 19th century, Russia had taken over large areas of Chinese territory, which the Chinese were now demanding back.
- At the end of 1970s, both China and Russia were vying for American support, against each other, for the leadership of world communism.
- To complicate matters further, Vietnam now supported Russia. When China attacked Vietnam in 1979, relations reached rock bottom with Russia.
- However, Mikhail Gorbachev began a new era in Sino-Russian relations by resorting to reconciliation with China through trade and economic cooperation, regular contact between the two govts, a visit to Beijing.
