<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taking advantage of a rise in tensions between the Soviet Union and China, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-february-26-what-happened-on-this-day-nixon-china/bb408540-f100-410a-86e4-34d07d81cd0d" rel="" target="" title="US President Richard Nixon landed in China"><span>US President Richard Nixon landed in China</span></a><span> on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-february-21-what-happened-on-this-day/9a6e4c22-b812-45b4-8641-6189b0f15893" rel="" target="" title="February 21, 1972"><span>February 21, 1972</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The visit marked the end of a 25-year diplomatic freeze between </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/china" rel="" target="" title="China"><span>China</span></a><span> and the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="United States"><span>United States</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Since 1949, the US (and Australia) recognised the Republic of China, based in Taiwan, as the legitimate Chinese government.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-october-10-what-happened-on-this-day/a9416ce5-8120-46ee-a178-42787a4c33dc" rel="" target="" title="The deal that kept a criminal from becoming the US president"><strong><span>The deal that kept a criminal from becoming the US president</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the visit to Beijing reversed all that.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/china-has-boom-industry-for-chairman-mao-lookalikes/49b8dc43-0bc7-44e7-b3e0-cdfcec633a85" rel="" target="" title="communist leader Mao Zedong"><span>communist leader Mao Zedong</span></a><span> had taken </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-november-1-what-happened-on-this-day/24c396e0-d9d3-41ed-a651-d431d5f7746f" rel="" target="" title="control of mainland China in 1949"><span>control of mainland China in 1949</span></a><span>, nationalist leader </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/china-taiwan-dispute-explainer-what-is-behind-long-running-tensions/5da6a1ae-79d8-4587-becb-9a941c5f84a2" rel="" target="" title="Chiang Kai-shek had begun a government-in-exile in Taiwan"><span>Chiang Kai-shek had begun a government-in-exile in Taiwan</span></a><span>, with the support of the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The reversal in relations was a change too big not to mention.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-february-21-what-happened-on-this-day/46577e25-d624-4baa-9930-cae7637a36f4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I believe our old friend Chiang Kai-shek would not approve of this," Mao wryly said when greeting Nixon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mao also joked to Nixon that he "voted for you during your last election".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-november-1-what-happened-on-this-day/24c396e0-d9d3-41ed-a651-d431d5f7746f" rel="" target="" title="Failed actress turned dictator's wife takes revenge on star who outshone her"><strong><span>Failed actress turned dictator's wife takes revenge on star who outshone her</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Keen to make a good impression, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/gallery-today-in-history-photo-national-australia-world-news/64dd43c6-5081-4919-b9d7-4aaff23bfcf9" rel="" target="" title="Nixon and his wife Pat"><span>Nixon and his wife Pat</span></a><span> practised using chopsticks for months beforehand.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At a banquet, Nixon was served three glasses, orange juice, wine and Maotai, a very alcoholic Chinese drink.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Painfully aware that Nixon could be a surly drunk, Deputy Secretary of State Alexander Haig sent through a warning about Maotai.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"UNDER NO REPEAT NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THE PRESIDENT ACTUALLY DRINK FROM HIS GLASS IN RESPONSE TO BANQUET TOASTS," Haig said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ignoring the message, Nixon sipped from the glass but didn't overdo it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The visit was generally accepted by the public of both countries but the political fringes were opposed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On the American right, anti-communist hardline senator Barry Goldwater was vocally against the visit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-july-16-what-happened-on-this-day/1fffce90-6c84-4add-999b-07998db24490" rel="" target="" title="The river swim that signalled the start of a purge of millions of people"><strong><span>The river swim that signalled the start of a purge of millions of people</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On the Chinese left, Communist Party Vice Chairman Lin Biao fought against the normalisation of relations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Other dissenters dropped their opposition after Lin was killed in a mysterious plane crash.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-february-11-what-happened-on-this-day/480a64c6-3aa8-4a2d-bdf6-05264c3c3b34" rel="" target="" title="Thirty million people die after ill-fated war on sparrows"><strong><span>Thirty million people die after ill-fated war on sparrows</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather 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