ABSTRACT
Peking's view of "hegemony" was originally focused primarily on the Soviet Union. Peking-Washington tensions in 1981—1982 over the Reagan administration's early policies toward Taiwan illustrated the potential of "obstacles" to obstruct in a serious way the flow of the relationship. Gradually, and particularly after 1985, as mainland China's relations with the Soviet Union improved, Peking's public tone in speaking about mainland China's policy vis-a-vis the Soviets and the United States became increasingly balanced. Japanese Foreign Minister Uno's visit to mainland China in May went well—accompanied by US$1.5 billion in low-interest loans for Peking. When journalists asked Chao Tzu-yang about foreign policy during the Thirteenth Party Congress, he responded, perhaps partly in jest, that it would have been impossible for him to read his report to the Congress in one morning if he had also covered foreign policy. The key controversial foreign policy issue in recent years and into early 1987 was, in fact, directly related to debate over domestic policy.
