2. The Cold War becomes global: China and the impact of multipolarity on international relations, 1949-71

Key issues
  • Assess China’s impact on the Cold War between 1949-1971
  • Discuss the changing nature of Sino-Soviet relations after 1949


Key terms

  • Multipolarity (China and the Cold War)
  • Maoism (international relations 1949-71)
  • The Sino-Soviet Split


Discussion points

  • The Indochinese War and the Geneva Conference
  • The Bandung Conference
  • The Moscow Conferences of 1957 and 1961

The Cold War, often viewed through the binary lens of US-Soviet rivalry, was profoundly reshaped by the emergence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. While China did not reach superpower status comparable to the USA or USSR during this period, its assertive foreign policy, ideological framework, and strategic decisions significantly complicated the Cold War's bipolar logic.

Mao Zedong envisioned China as a transformative global actor, championing what he called “Continuous International Revolution.” This ambition aligned with the post-war wave of decolonisation, as China sought to position itself as a leader among newly independent nations, challenging Western imperialism and the Soviet Union’s dominance over the communist bloc. China's influence spanned multiple arenas, from direct involvement in the Korean and Indochinese wars to its leadership in the Bandung Conference and ideological export of Maoism.

The periodisation of this study, 1949 to 1971, captures the PRC’s foundational years and its rise as an international actor, culminating in its inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. During these decades, China's foreign policy evolved, reflecting its complex relationships with both the USA and the USSR. From the Sino-Soviet alliance and its eventual split to the early hostility and later rapprochement with the USA, China played a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of the Cold War.

This chapter explores the ideological underpinnings of Maoist foreign policy, China’s strategic interventions in the Third World, and the fluctuating nature of Sino-Soviet and Sino-American relations. It seeks to assess the extent of China’s impact on the Cold War and how its actions reflected both regional ambitions and broader global transformations.

#1. Maoism and ‘Continuous International Revolution’

#A. Western perception of Mao’s reunification campaigns

#a) Tibet

#b) Xinjiang and Guangdong

#c) Taiwan

#B. Political opportunities offered by decolonisation

#a) Rise against imperialism

#b) China’s role in the war in Indochina

#c) China’s role in the Bandung Conference in 1955

#C. The impact of the Cultural Revolution on foreign affairs

#a) Attacks on foreign embassies and diplomats

#b) Chinese attacks abroad

#c) Trouble in Hong Kong

#d) Maoism adoption in the West

#2. Complex relations between the PRC and the Soviet Union

#A. Early difficulties with the Sino-Soviet friendship

#a) Territorial disputes

#b) Ideological differences and national rivalry

#c) Mao and Stalin: a clash of personalities

#B. The PRC’s initial dependence on the Soviet Union and the Korean War

#a) The 1950 Sino-Soviet treaty

#b) Isolation in a capitalist world

#c) Mao’s reaction to the Korean War in 1950

#d) Consequences of the Korean War and benefits for Mao

#C. The Sino-Soviet split

#a) Consequences of Soviet de-Stalinisation

#b) The split and further antagonism

#c) Nonalignment

#d) Sino-Soviet ideological conflict and rivalry over international leadership of communism

#3. Complex relations between the PRC and the USA

#A. Tensions in the 1950s and 1960s

#a) The ‘loss’ of China and American containment policies

#b) Key flashpoints: Taiwan, Tibet, and the Korean War

#c) The PRC’s isolation and the nuclear issue

#B. From hostility to rapprochement

#a) Shifts in global strategy: the Sino-Soviet split and US opportunism

#b) The road to diplomacy: UN representation and early talks

#c) Nixon’s visit to Beijing and its significance

#d) Strategic goals: balancing against the Soviet Union

#C. Long-term impact on the Cold War

#a) Implications for the bipolar world order

#b) Economic and political openings for the PRC