ABSTRACT

The Chinese began to be more overtly critical of a broad range of US domestic and foreign policies. During 1981–1982, there have been serious strains in US-China relations over the issue of arms sales to Taiwan. At least some Chinese leaders seem to have been reassessing their overall foreign policy posture. By the second half of 1981, the tone of Chinese discussions of the United States and its policies clearly had begun to change. There was also a noticeable change in tone in many Chinese articles and statements on the Soviet Union. The Chinese press continued strong criticism of Soviet foreign policies and still warned that the Soviet threat remained very serious worldwide. The coincidence of increasing strains in bilateral US-China relations over the Taiwan arms sales issue and signs of possible broader changes in China’s general international posture was clearly not accidental.