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Sino-Soviet Rapprochement, 1985-1989

 Documents on the international attempts to foster rapprochement between China and the Soviet Union at the tail end of the Cold War. For other collections on Sino-Soviet relations, see Making of the Sino-Soviet Alliance, 1945-1950; Sino-Soviet Alliance, 1950-1959; Sino-Soviet Split, 1960-1984; and Sino-Soviet Border Conflict, 1969.

Popular Documents

December 7, 1988

Address by Mikhail Gorbachev at the UN General Assembly Session (Excerpts)

Excerpts from an address by Gorbachev at the 43rd United Nations General Assembly Session. Gorbachev announced major cuts to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe and along the Chinese border.

February 26, 1989

Memorandum of Conversation: President Bush's Meeting with Chairman Deng Xiaoping of the People's Republic of China, February 26, 1989, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Conversation between Deng Xiaoping and President George Bush on Sino-US relations. Deng expressed the hope that the bilateral relationship would develop in a "new pattern" based on mutual trust, mutual support, and minimizing as much as possible mutual problems. They also discussed the continued tensions between China and the Soviet Union,

May 16, 1989

Meeting between Mikhail Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping (Excerpts)

Gorbachev and Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping discuss Sino-Soviet relations as well as relations with the United States.

May 16, 1989

Excerpts from the Meeting between Mikhail Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping

The Chinese version of the record of conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and Deng Xiaoping. Deng provides a historical overview of China's relations with the Soviet Union and other countries.

February 26, 1989

Memorandum of Conversation: President Bush's Meeting with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Zhao Ziyang of the People's Republic of China, February 26, 1989, 4:00 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.

George H.W. Bush and Zhao Ziyang discuss Sino-American relations and China's reform and opening, in addition to the situations in Korea, India, Pakistan, and the Soviet Union.