Beijing: On Monday ( Dec. 30 ), China’s President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences over the death of Jimmy Carter, claiming that the former US president was the driving force behind the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations more than 40 years ago.
Carter died at his house in Grasslands, Georgia, on Sunday at the age of 100.
The US government established formal relations with China during his administration of 1977-1981, drawing on the recommendations made by former US president Richard Nixon and secretary of state Henry Kissinger before in the 1970s.
Xi extended “deep apologies” on the departure of Carter in a message sent to US President Joe Biden, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Former US President Carter was the catalyst for the formation of political relations between China and the US, Xinhua quoted Xi as saying,” And he made significant contributions to the development of China-US connections and the friendly markets and cooperation between the two nations.”
According to him,” China-US relationships are among the most significant bilateral ties in the world,” adding that China is eager to cooperate with the US to enhance their relationships.
The Carter government’s decision to embrace in 1979 Beijing’s place that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China, and to lose official ties with Taiwan, helped table a fresh course in ties.
His ancient contribution to the normalization and growth of US-China relationships will always be remembered by the Chinese people, according to Xie Feng, the Chinese adviser.
In the same year, 1979, the US government, while adhering to its One-China plan, also passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which establishes a legal base to provide the area with the means to protect itself.
Beijing has not renounced using force to take Taiwan under its control, claiming that Taiwan is a part of its territory.
The Taiwan Relations Act’s prohibition of US weapons sales to Taiwan continues to stifle Sino-US ties today, with Beijing often pressuring Washington to uphold the One-China rule and imposing sanctions on US defense suppliers and business executives.
Other agreements signed during Carter’s presidency included the 1979 US-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA ), a research cooperation agreement that some critics claim has proportionally benefited Washington’s most powerful political rival over the years.