It was Richard Nixon.
He was the first sitting U.S. president to visit the People’s Republic of China since its founding in 1949.
🚀 Key Facts About Nixon’s “Ice-Breaking Visit”
Dates and Destinations: Nixon’s historic visit took place from February 21 to 28, 1972. During the trip, he visited Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.
Historical Significance: China and the United States did not have diplomatic relations at the time. Nixon’s visit helped end more than two decades of estrangement between the two countries and became known as “the week that changed the world.”
Major Outcome: During the visit, China and the United States issued the Joint Communiqué of the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America in Shanghai, commonly known as the Shanghai Communiqué. It laid important political groundwork for the normalization of bilateral relations and the eventual establishment of diplomatic ties.
Highlights of the Trip: Nixon had reportedly practiced using chopsticks before his visit to China. His historic handshake with Premier Zhou Enlai—described by Zhou as “a handshake that came over the vastest ocean in the world”—remains one of the most memorable moments in modern diplomatic history.
Additional Note: Some sources mention that former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant visited China in the 1870s. However, Grant’s visit took place before the founding of the People’s Republic of China and occurred after he had left the presidency, as part of his post-presidential world tour. Therefore, when referring to a U.S. presidential visit to China in the modern diplomatic sense, Nixon is generally recognized as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the People’s Republic of China.
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