Chinese President Xi Jinping extended a cordial reception to the United States’ former top diplomat, Henry Kissinger. Mr. Kissinger’s unexpected visit to Beijing coincides with a series of high-level visits from US officials.
At 100 years old, Mr. Kissinger, the former secretary of state, holds a pivotal position in history for his instrumental role in facilitating China’s emergence from diplomatic isolation during the 1970s.
The US has emphasized that Mr. Kissinger’s visit is as a private citizen and his trip to China is not to carry out any official business. However, geopolitical analysts are speculating that Kissinger may act as a diplomatic backchannel to foster better relations between Washington and Beijing, which have been increasingly strained in recent years.
Xi Jinping greets Henry Kissinger in China
Their encounter took place at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a venue noted for its more intimate atmosphere, in contrast to the expansive Great Hall of the People typically used for official meetings with foreign diplomats.
President Xi acknowledged the historical significance of Diaoyutai, as it was precisely at this location where, fifty years ago, Mr. Kissinger engaged in a clandestine visit with Chinese officials, ultimately playing a pivotal role in initiating the process of normalizing diplomatic relations between the US and China.
“I’m very glad to see you, sir,” President Xi greeted Mr. Kissinger. “We will never forget our old friends, and will not forget your historical contributions to develop US-China relations and friendship between the two peoples.”
Mr. Kissinger was met with conciliatory messages from other Chinese officials as well. Chinese statements on his meetings with top diplomat Wang Yi and defense minister Li Shangfu underscored the imperative of respect, cooperation, and “peaceful co-existence” between the two superpowers.
The released statements also quoted Mr. Kissinger expressing himself as a “friend of China,” asserting that “neither the United States nor China can afford to treat the other as an adversary,” and emphasizing that their relations would be “central to the peace in the world and to the progress of our society.”
A controversial figure
Over the course of a long career in foreign affairs, Mr. Kissinger has made no shortage of controversial decisions, earning him the enmity of those who feel wronged by his preferences for American foreign policy.
Mr. Kissinger remains a controversial figure in Cyprus and Greece for his stance on the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
“There is no American reason why the Turks should not have one-third of Cyprus,” Mr. Kissinger counseled President Gerald Ford, who had assumed the presidency just days before the invasion took place.
“The Turkish tactics are right—grab what they want and then negotiate on the basis of possession,” he added. Mr. Kissinger privately greenlighted the land grab in conversations with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.