Last week, I was the guest on a Chinese language TV show produced by Voice of America and broadcast live in China. Chinese callers are given a toll free number in China they can call to pose questions.
The topic of discussion was “non-traditional security threats to the Olympics,” but as usual with this call-in show, much of the discussion focused on underlying issues related to Chinese social, economic and political reforms.
Lamenting the slow pace of political reform in China, one caller asked, “what would have happened if Nixon had not opened China? Where would we be then?”
As the presumptive presidential nominees spar over whether to engage or isolate detached nations, perhaps they should ask themselves, “what would Nixon do?”
Judging from recent developments in U.S.-Iran relations, it looks like Nixon had the right idea when it came to engaging China. But, the Chinese have known that all along.