David Firestein speaks on CGTN’s “The Point”

Bush China Foundation President and CEO David Firestein spoke on CGTN’s “The Point” with Liu Xin, reflecting on President Nixon’s historic visit to China 50 years ago this week. The discussion focused on what the global community can draw from this legacy, and a reflection on current strained ties.

Mr. Firestein spoke to the importance of rapprochement, suggesting normalization with China still would have happened, though perhaps later, if President Nixon had not made this historic visit. Further, Mr. Firestein commented on the 1972 Shanghai Communique jointly issued by the United States and the PRC, in which the U.S. affirmed the One-China Policy with respect to Taiwan. “The fundamental ideas of the three communiques remain intact, and the fundamental contours of U.S. policy toward China, particularly with respect to the One-China policy, remain intact. The really interesting question is: what would a fourth communique look like?”