The CCP's legitimacy crisis and Sino-American rapprochement

Abstract

Richard Nixon's visit to China in 1972 was the result of several years of negotiating between China and the United States. Before 1989, Sino-American reconciliation was the most important event of the cold war. The conventional explanations of Sino-American reconciliation point to America's loss in Vietnam, the crises in Taiwan and of course; the Sino-Soviet split. This dissertation argues that in addition to these factors, the CCP's legitimacy crisis had large part to play in the course of Sino-American rapprochement. By examining the process chronologically, the conclusion is drawn that the collapse of the CCP's legitimacy (as a result of the Cultural Revolution) led Mao to open negotiations with the West.