US-China Relations Midterm Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Lectures 1 through 6 on US-China relations, diplomatic history, foreign policy processes, and key current events for the midterm exam.

Geographic Location of China

Located in East Asia, along the Western coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Global Chinese Brands

Valuable Chinese commercial brands in the global marketplace, including Huawei, WeChat, BYD, TikTok, Alibaba (Taobao), Pinduoduo (TEMU), and Tencent.

US Foreign Policy Debate Viewpoints

The three major recurring philosophical divides in American foreign policy: isolationism vs. internationalism, unilateralism vs. multilateralism, and moralism vs. pragmatism.

Clinton Administration Foreign Policy Priorities

The core international priorities pursued by the Clinton administration: democracy, human rights, and free trade.

Politburo of the CCP Central Committee

The Political Bureau of the CCP CC; functions as the command headquarters of the CCP responsible for making major policy decisions.

Standing Committee of the Politburo

The apex governing body within the Chinese political system, serving as the top powerful inner circle of the Party-State.

"3 in 1" Head of State Model

The institutional practice in China where the Head of State (President of the PRC), the General Secretary of the CCP, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission are united in one individual (Xi Jinping).

State Council

The chief administrative authority and cabinet of the Chinese government, led by the Premier.

"One Country, Two Systems"

The constitutional principle governing the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR), granting them judicial independence, normal foreign trade with other countries, and their own economic and administrative systems, but reserving national defense to the central government.

Treaty of Wangxia

The first of many formal diplomatic and commercial treaties signed between the United States and the Qing dynasty of China, negotiated by Caleb Cushing.

Caleb Cushing

The American diplomat and commissioner who negotiated the Treaty of Wangxia with China in 1844.

"Open Door" Policy

A historical US diplomatic initiative aimed at securing equal trade opportunities in China and preserving China's territorial integrity, associated in the lecture with John Jay.

Boxer Rebellion of 1900

An anti-foreign, anti-colonial uprising in China that led the US to deploy troops to quell the rebellion, later using the resulting war reparations for educational and cultural purposes.

US Involvement in the Chinese Civil War

American actions comprising massive military and economic aid to Chiang Kai-shek's KMT, mediation efforts between the KMT and the CCP, and deploying the US Navy to protect Taiwan.

Ping-Pong Diplomacy

An early 1970s public diplomacy breakthrough involving exchange visits between American and Chinese table tennis players that was not authorized by the US government, paving the way for diplomatic rapprochement.

Shanghai Communique

A landmark joint diplomatic communique issued on February 28, 1972, at the conclusion of President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China, establishing mutual commitments toward normalized relations.

United States Liaison Office in Beijing

The intermediate diplomatic mission representing US interests in Beijing before formal diplomatic recognition, which was once headed by future US President George H.W. Bush.

Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

The official agreement effective January 1, 1979, in which the United States and the People's Republic of China formally recognized each other and established bilateral diplomatic ties.

Taiwan Relations Act

A 1979 act passed by the US Congress governing unofficial relations, security guarantees, and defense arms sales to Taiwan following the establishment of diplomatic ties with Beijing.

August 17th Communique

The joint communique signed between the US and China on August 17, 1982, in which the United States stated its intent to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan.

Tiananmen Crackdown of 1989

The Chinese government's violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing, which fundamentally shifted US-China relations and made human rights a top foreign policy issue.

Fang Lizhi, Lee Teng-hui, and Wang Dan

Prominent figures in 1990s US-China relations: Fang Lizhi was a Chinese dissident astrophysicist, Lee Teng-hui was the President of Taiwan, and Wang Dan was a prominent Tiananmen student protest leader.

1999 Embassy Bombing and 2001 EP-3 Incident

Two major military crises that strained US-China relations: the US bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade in 1999 and the mid-air collision between a US EP-3 surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet near Hainan in 2001.

"Pivots toward Asia"

The foreign policy rebalancing strategy initiated during the Obama administration by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to prioritize American diplomatic and military focus in the Asia-Pacific.

Vice President Pence's Speech on China

A landmark policy address articulating a confrontational stance toward Beijing, framing tariffs as a core policy tool against unfair trade practices.

Blinken's "Three Pillars"

The Biden administration's strategic framework for managing US-China competition: invest in domestic strength, align with allies and partners, and compete directly with China.

"Lying Flat" (Tang Ping)

A contemporary cultural movement among Chinese youth rejecting grueling competition and overwork, viewed by the Chinese government as a potential social and security threat.