Sino-Soviet Relations: Past and Future

• Date: 01 September 1961
• Published date: 01 September 1961
• DOI: 10.1177/106591296101400372
• Author: John S. Reshetar
• Subject Matter: Articles

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International Relations
PROBLEMS OF SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONS
KALESH DUDHARKAR
Reed College
This paper dealt with the problems and prospects of Chinese-American
relations in their historical perspective. It reviewed the Chinese-American re-
lations since the Open Door policy in an attempt to characterize the main fea-
tures of American policy toward China. This historical review made the fol-
lowing points:
1. China has been the passive object rather than the active subject in the
contest of contending policies.
2. The relations among Great Power neighbors of China, which have
been crucial, were examined.
3. The major American objective was to prevent Great Power hegemony
in China.
4. The commitments in pursuit of this objective have not been adequately
backed by required power, and the American response to international problems
of Chinese social revolution has not been adequate.
5. With the rise of Communist China, the nature of American problems
has changed radically -
now it is China which constitutes a threat to its weak
neighbors. Now American policy is faced with the problem of containing China,
the major confrontation being whether to meet this problem by creating local
centers of power or to rely on American power. So far both alternatives are being
followed on short-term and inadequate bases. The response is complicated now
by the intrusion of social revolutionary factors in the surrounding areas.
SINO-SOVIET RELATIONS: PAST AND FUTURE
JOHN S. RESHETAR, JR.
University of Washington
The unique nature of the relationship between Communist China and
the Soviet Union was made evident in the very beginning when it required
two months of negotiation in Moscow to conclude the Sino-Soviet Treaty of
February 14, 1950. The Soviet willingness in the end to relinquish the claims
imposed upon Nationalist China in the treaty of August 14, 1945, indicated
that Peking had to be reckoned with and was no ordinary satellite regime.
Several factors have contributed to...