In the above message, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that Jimmy Carter “has made great contributions to promoting the development of China-US relations and promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation.” conference between the two countries”, according to China Central Television (CCTV).
Former US President Jimmy Carter and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Vice President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing in December 2012
“Former US President Jimmy Carter was the one who promoted and made decisions on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US,” CCTV quoted Mr. Xi as saying. The Chinese leader added that he was “deeply saddened” by Mr. Carter’s passing. On December 29 (US time), Mr. Carter passed away at his home in Georgia, at the age of 100.
Mr. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States during his term from 1977-1981. The US officially established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in January 1979, breaking relations with the Kuomintang government in Taiwan, which had been a loyal ally of the US throughout the Cold War, according to AFP.
Mr. Carter normalized relations with Beijing when late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping initiated reforms that led to the country’s unprecedented economic growth. Also in 1979, Mr. Deng Xiaoping met Mr. Carter in the US.
Mr. Carter did not visit China during his time as president, but he made trips before and after his time in the White House. Mr. Carter first went to China as a young naval officer in 1949.
Immediately after leaving office in 1981, Mr. Carter visited China again to meet Mr. Deng Xiaoping. In 1987, Mr. Carter went to China again to meet then Prime Minister Mr. Zhao Ziyang in Beijing. Mr. Carter returned to China in 1991 and 1997.
Also in the above condolence message, Mr. Xi told Mr. Biden that the relationship between the two countries is “one of the most important relationships” in the world. “China is ready to cooperate with the US… (to) promote the development of healthy, stable, sustainable China-US relations in the right direction,” CCTV quoted Mr. Xi as saying.
