Updated December 30, 2024 at 02:47 AM ET
One of Carter's most enduring foreign policy legacies was his decision to establish formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China at the start of 1979 —– nearly 30 years after the Communist Party seized power.
The establishment of ties between Washington and Beijing ushered in an era of engagement that brought China out of isolation and underpinned its meteoric economic rise.
Chinese ambassador Xie Feng earlier this year said that "historic decision" by Carter and China's then-paramount leader Deng Xiaoping was taken with "extraordinary political courage and vision".
In an email, Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Liu Pengyu expressed condolences to the Carter family, saying the former president "played a pivotal role in the normalization and development of China-U.S. relations."
"His historic decision to establish diplomatic relations with China demonstrated his extraordinary political courage and vision. Since then, the bilateral relationship has benefited both the two peoples and the world. President Carter's longstanding commitment and contribution to China-U.S. relations will always be remembered," he said.
In recent years, competition has eclipsed cooperation in bilateral ties, and the relationship has deteriorated across the board. That concerned Carter. In a 2021 interview, he expressed the hope that relations would improve.
Copyright 2024 NPR
