The Cold War's Odd Couple: The Unintended Partnership between the Republic of China and the UK, 1950 - 1958

The relationship between the USA and the People's Republic of China (PRC) was the defining factor in the Cold War in Asia - the potentially explosive conflict which, as seen in the Korean War, brought the world to the brink of nuclear disaster. The PRC had not become 'Titoist' as some hoped and remained firmly within the Soviet international orbit. But how did Great Britain and the Republic of China (ROC) fit into this potentially lethal global jigsaw? Steve Tsang has illuminated the history of a seemingly obscure corner of international relations and politics but which was, to contempories, at the heart of global survival. He has carried out extensive research in unique Chinese- and English-language sources, both official and private.

Table of Contents:

Acronyms and Abbreviations – ii
Preface – iii
Introduction – x


1. In the Context of the Cold War – 1
Dawn of a new age – 1
The cold war in Asia – 5
The UK’s position -9
The ROC’s place – 14
China and the odd couple – 18


2. The ROC’s Policy – 27
General foreign policy – 27
Policy towards the United Kingdom – 30
Apparatus for making policy and conducting relation – 37
Survival in the cold war – 55

3. British Policy – 58
Britain’s East Asian policy – 58
Policy towards Taiwan – 61
Apparatuses for policy making and conducting relations – 74
From expediency to unintended partnership – 81


4. One China or Two? – 83
Solutions to Taiwan – 84
Chinese representation at the UN – 99
One China, two states – 108


5. Peace and Security – 111
A cause for war? – 111
Origins of first Taiwan Strait crisis, 1954-55 – 115
Operation Oracle – 121
Second Taiwan Strait crisis, 1958 – 139
A precarious peace? – 148


6. Mutual Interest and Conflicts – 152
Mutual interests – 152
Conflicts over the closure of Chinese ports – 155
Neutrality of Hong Kong – 165
Conflicts In perspective – 185


7. The Cold War’s Odd Couple – 187
The making of an unintended partnership – 189


Notes – 200
Bibliography – 243
Index – 259