America at 250: Nixon Goes to China, With Jeremi Suri

The President’s Inbox

Council on Foreign Relations

Politics, News:politics, News

4.4 • 734 Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2026

⏱️ 35 minutes

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Summary

Jeremi Suri, Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs and Professor of Public Affairs and History at the University of Texas at Austin, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss President Richard Nixon's historic 1972 visit to China, which ushered in a new era of U.S.-Sino relations and altered the course of world politics. To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America’s role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead. Mentioned on the Episode: James M. Lindsay, The Ten Best and Ten Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions, CFR.org Richard Nixon, “Asia After Vietnam,” Foreign Affairs Jeremi Suri, Henry Kissinger and the American Century Jeremi Suri and Zachary Suri, Democracy of Hope Jeremi Suri and Zachary Suri, This Is Democracy For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/america-250-nixon-goes-to-china Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Transcript

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0:00.0	And the extraordinary thing, it's still, I find this astonishing.
0:03.3	Here you have Kissinger going in July 71, and then Nixon and Feb 72.
0:07.0	These are the only cases I know of this kind of visit by American leadership without a pre-agreed agenda.
0:13.0	And they had developed within the White House a culture of secrecy.
0:16.0	This is the way this White House operated.
0:19.5	Early on the morning of February 21st, 1972, President Richard Nixon boards Air Force
0:25.7	One in Guam and departs for the People's Republic of China.
0:29.5	After stopping briefly in Shanghai, he arrives at Capitol Airport near Beijing, then called
0:34.6	Peking, where Chinese Premier Joe Inlai meets him.
0:38.3	They begin a week-long dialogue that alters world politics.
0:41.3	For President Nixon, a sudden change in schedule, a surprise meeting with Mao Tse-Tung.
0:46.3	After decades of hostility in almost no direct communications, China and the United States sign the Shanghai communique.
0:53.3	It begins the process of normalizing relations between the two countries.
0:58.0	Why did Richard Nixon, who had made his career, taking a tough anti-communist line, decide to visit China?
1:04.0	What made the trip so consequential?
1:07.0	And how do the decisions made that one week 54 years ago affect U.S. foreign policy today?
1:14.0	From the Council on Foreign Relations, welcome to the president's inbox. I'm Jim Lindsay.
1:20.0	Today I'm speaking with Professor Jeremy Surrey, the Mack Brown Distinguished Professor of Global Leadership, History, and Public Policy at the University of Texas.
1:32.2	Jeremy, thank you very much for joining me.
1:34.1	Great to be with you, Jim.
1:36.2	In recognition of 2026 being the 250th anniversary of American independence, Jeremy. We are devoting one episode of the
1:46.7	president's inbox every month to a pivotal moment in the history of U.S. foreign policy.
	...

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