Henry Kissinger visiting China secretly to talk to the Chinese leadership - seems like 1971? Even after 52 years to that story, and at the age of 100, Henry Kissinge

Henry Kissinger visiting China secretly to talk to the Chinese leadership - seems like 1971? Even after 52 years to that story, and at the age of 100, Henry Kissinger has undertaken yet another secretive visit to Beijing to have a direct conversation with the Chinese leadership.

In July 1971, after almost over a year of backchannel diplomacy through Poland and Pakistan, Henry Kissinger, who served as President Nixon’s National Security Advisor, went to China to facilitate a rapprochement.

The meeting paved the way for President Nixon’s visit to Beijing in February 1972, which became one of the most consequential visits of the Cold War. Such was the grandeur of Kissinger’s diplomacy.

Two months into his 101st year, Henry Kissinger still has some cards up his sleeves. Although this wasn’t in any administrative capacity, Henry Kissinger still maintains a very healthy contact with important political capitals of the World.

He met the sanctioned Defence Minister of China, Li Shangfu to discuss what seemed like an attempt to frame a modus vivendi between the two powers. Kissinger has reportedly warned over “catastrophic consequences” if the US and China go to war with each other.

Kissinger called himself a “friend” of China, while emphasizing on the importance of building back the foundations for a healthy relationship between the US & China. His visit comes at a time when John Kerry, the US envoy on climate change, is on a visit to China to discuss how the two countries can cooperate to avoid a climate crisis.

Kerry’s visit follows a flurry of high-level diplomacy between US & China in the last two months, with both, the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen making a trip to Beijing this summer.

Kissinger & his secret visits to China

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