President Richard Nixon visits West Lake Park, 1972
Hangzhou, China
Photograph by Oliver Atkins

President Richard Nixon’s historic visit—one of several between U.S. and Chinese leaders— helped to pave the way for the establishment of relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1979. In this image, President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai greeted a young girl while visiting West Lake Park, as First Lady Pat Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger (far left) look on.

Richard Nixon Presidential Library, WHPO 8604-10