Cold War International System

China and the Cold War

The term "cold war" is used for explaining the shifting efforts of the Western powers and the Communist bloc from the ending of World War II until 1989 in order to attain supremacy influence and esteem on a global level. If seen from a worldwide magnitude, the conflict can be understood as an ideological clash between communism and capitalist democracy ("cold war," 2012). China occupied an exceptional place in the Cold War for the reason that it was the point of both the affection and aggression of the two main world powers i.e. The United States of America and Soviet Union (Bernstein, 2003, p. 91).

Cold War -- China's Role

The West and the Soviet Union had a long history of joint mistrust and this resistance was every now and then apparent in the Grand Alliance during World War II. After the end of the war, the persistent expansionist policy of the U.S.S.R. intimidated the West and on the other hand, Russians were fearful of invasion from the West. With the support of the Red Army, the power in Eastern Europe was confiscated by the Communists. The Communist cause achieved enormous momentum when the mainland China was overtaken by the Communists under Mao Zedong in1949. The American government continued to support Nationalist China. When President Truman feared that Communism could attract Asians, Africans, and Latin Americans, he created the Point Four program so that the underdeveloped areas could be helped. However, contention sustained and the Communist forces from N. Korea attacked S. Korea in 1950 and thus began the Korean War. Chinese Communist troops participated in the conflict with full vigor but the UN forces checked them. Almost immediately, the spotlight of the cold war in Asia moved to the southeast. The rebellious guerrillas in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were supported by the Chinese government. On the other hand, America played a major role in establishing the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization and made large-scale military aid available. However, the guerrilla fighting did not cease ("cold war," 2012).

In 1949, the Nationalists were defeated by the Chinese Communists and consequently the People's Republic of China (PRC) emerged on the face of the earth. Mao along with other Communist leaders embarked to remake Chinese society. The industrial sector was nationalized and agriculture was given special attention. All resistance was brutally concealed. During this time of development, the Soviet Union helped China significantly. However, the relations between the two countries began to cool down soon. Mao made China too dependent on the U.S.S.R. And failed to involve USA in Chinese initiatives. However, later in 1960s, he led the country to meet head-on with both the Soviet Union and the United States. However, relations normalized between the three parties when Nixon/Kissinger proposal in 1969 brought in "the triangle as a set of relations that all parties consciously perceived thereafter" (Ross, 1993).

The era from 1971 till 1979 is every so often considered as the high-water mark of the tactical alliance between China and America. Regardless of definite strategic diversities, both powers had a common interest whereby they cooperated against escalating Soviet martial boldness in the 3rd world and on China's border. In addition, the U.S.A. was in the crucial position of benefitting from relations with both China and USSR while relations between the latter two were ice-covered. Thus, during this period China's two-pronged problems with America (concerning Taiwan in particular) were relegated because superior strategic issues were more significant. Thus, the U.S.-Chinese relations normalized by 1979. This phase ended with the China's initiation of new talks with the U.S.S.R. In the wake of the less than sincere and conditional support of United States for China's war in Vietnam (Legvold, 1993).

When Afghanistan was invaded by the U.S.S.R., this invasion not only affected the trilateral relations but also influenced U.S.-Chinese ties. Although strategic interests brought China and America during 1981-1983 closer together; soon new issues emerged that made China distance itself from USA. The Afghanistan period observed the initiation of Sino-Soviet detente, the noticeable wear and tear in Sino-U.S. relations, and the development of China's autonomous foreign policy. Thus, as China adopted the policy of openness and engaged itself more on a global level, it experienced more sophisticated foreign relations as more issues surfaced on the table. The consequences of practicing interdependent policies challenged the previous Maoist origin for carrying out foreign policy. In simple words, "as Chinese society became more enmeshed with the outside capitalist and democratic world, new and disturbing challenges arose for a political system whose legitimacy, as well as efficiency, was weak" (Ross, 1993, p. 26). However, China's concern regarding conciliation eased after seeing the tough reaction of United States against Afghanistan's invasion by USSR. Chinese leaders also got to confirm the importance of their country to America that helped then to strengthen the opposition to Soviet expansionist policy. Thus, the new foreign policy adopted by the Chinese government "freed it from the strait-jacket of anti-Sovietism and enabled it to reestablish its credentials with the third world and to develop the policy flexibility and diversity that was better suited to sustaining the goals of economic modernization" (Ross, 1993, p.27).

By the end of 1988, both China and USSR agreed to normalize relations on largely the terms set by China that it would not sacrifice its ties with the United States. Thus, for the first time in 40 years, China enjoyed a position where it had good normal relations with both USA and USSR at the same time. USSR took a new approach and put great emphasis on diplomatic and trade relations and the lessening of Soviet military activity in Asia-Pacific. Thus, the China's importance in the expansion of new patterns of financially viable and political collaboration in the Pacific Rim is undeniable (Ross, 1993).