Cold War: China's relationships

Question 1

China and the USSR

Answer 1

Sino-Soviet Split:
1969 - Battle of Damansky Island
1970s - USSR supported hostile regimes to China in Vietnam, Laos, etc.

Question 2

China and Tibet (6)

Answer 2

1. 1950 Invasion:
   - PRC invaded under the guise of expelling imperialist aggressors. Army defeated in 6 months
2. 17-point Agreement - 1951:
   - Removed Tibetan independence and placed Tibet under China’s control.
3. Tibetan Rebellion - 1959:
   - Brutally suppressed by PRC, Dalai Lama fled to India where he has been in exile since.
4. Tibetan Genocide - 1959-1962:
   - PRC imposed Mandarin, forbade Tibetans to grow crops or move yaks. Resulted in a famine that killed 25% of the population.
5. Cultural Revolution - 1966:
   - Hundreds of thousands of Tibetans killed as “class enemies” who opposed communism
6. Economic Impact:
   - Access to water
   - Mineral deposits help grow Chinese economy - lithium, gold, etc.
   - Wellbeing of Tibetans not important to Chinese govt, can hold significant political influence over countries that are critical of policies and actions in Tibet
   - China could be considered a superpower because of the power they hold as a result of this influence.

Question 3

China and India (5)

Answer 3

1. Hindi-Chin Bhai-Bhai - 1954-1959:
   - Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence with China
   - Promoted cultural exchange
2. Dalai Lama - 1959:
   - Indian government let Dalai Lama reside in Sikkim in Northern India.
   - India recognised the creation of the PRC in 1950 but China refused to recognise the McMahon Line (historical colonial border)
3. Sino-Indian War - 1962:
   - Conflict broke out over Aksai Chin province when the Chinese built roads there. Indians lost.
   - China commenced Forward Patrols in Ladakh from 1962.
   - Invaded across McMahon line in late October 1962.
   - USSR made an effort to support India and supplied them with MiG fighter jets.
4. Soviet Alliance - 1971:
   - India signed a TOF with USSR and China denounced India as a tool of Soviet expansionism
5. Nuclear Testing - 1990s:
   - India developed nuclear weapons
   - Still wary of each other but relations are growing as they are strong trading partners

Question 4

China and Taiwan (5)

Answer 4

1. GMD Insurgency - 1950-58:
   - ROC waged a guerilla war against the PRC in the north of China. PRC bombed Taiwanese ports.
   - US began naval patrol of Taiwanese coastline during the Korean War to ensure that conflict would not ensue between the governments.
2. Taiwan Strait Crisis - 1954 and 1958:
   - Taiwan held UN seat during this time
   - US had to prevent Chinese invasion
   - US told Chiang Kai Shek to stop his provocative nature
3. UN, 1971:
   - PRC became ‘China’ representative at UN
4. Three Noes, 1979:
   - No contact, no compromise, no negotiation under Chiang Ching-Kuo
5. 1992 Consensus:
   - ROC drops One China policy and begins to talk at arms length with PRC

Question 5

China and Hong Kong (5)

Answer 5

1. Liberation, 1945
   - Britain and China liberate HK from Japan
2. Refugees, 1949-1962:
   - Refugees from the GLF fled to HK, trade and industry grew under new businessmen.
3. Maoist Riots, 1967:
   - During CR, Mao encouraged HK communists to riot which led to 6 months of strikes and bombings. Zhou Enlai forbade an invasion
4. Joint Declaration, 1982:
   - British government handed HK to China under the promise that China would let HK run independently and preserve their own business and freedom
   - HK helped to stimulate China’s economic revolution.
5. Differences:
   - HK doesn’t want to be ruled by the Chinese dictatorship
   - CR didn’t happen in HK
   - Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act

Question 6

China and Vietnam (4)

Answer 6

1. Always had a turbulent relationship:
   - 1945: HCM created North Vietnam
   - 1949: Mao wants HCM to adopt Maoist policies and refuse Soviet aid.
2. Gulf of Tonkin - 1970s:
   - China and Vietnam disagreed with claims over islands once oil was discovered
   - China forcible seized islands in 1974
3. Sino-Vietnamese Split, 1978:
   - Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1976 and singed TOF with USSR in 1978
   - China saw Vietnam as a threat to its hegemony over the region.
   - SV War in 1979. China invaded the North
4. Comprehensive Cooperation:
   - After collapse of USSR in 1991, China and Vietnam’s relations improved.
   - Signed JSCC which led to trade agreements