US-China Liaison Diplomacy And David Bruce As The Head Of The US Liaison Office In Beijing

This dissertation adopts the methods of historical study, case analysis and comparative study. Anchoring the historical development of the Sino-American relations as a context, taking the liaison activities of China and the United States before the normalization of their relationship as the object of observation, the dissertation makes a close examination of the historical process of the China-U.S."liaison diplomacy", thus makes an explanation of the Sino-American relations from the angle of diplomacy. More specifically, the dissertation al Office so analyses the liaison activities of David Bruce, the first head of the American Liaison in Beijing. Based upon the analysis of a large amount of primary and secondary material, the dissertation comes to several conclusions.First, liaison diplomacy is defined as this: before the establishment of diplomatic relations, the countries adopt the diplomatic activities of keeping in contact, making explorations, or keeping in connection for the sake of the interest of each own country. It includes the diplomatic activities happened before the normalization process, when the mutual relation is in a stalemate. Liaison diplomacy can adopt many kinds of diplomatic methods, special liaison channel or other diplomatic methods such as presidential diplomacy.Second, China- U.S. liaison diplomacy was the product of the Sino-American relations developing in a cold war confrontation situation. It was the innovative creation of the leaders of both sides. China- U.S. liaison diplomacy can be divided into such three stages as contact, exploring and connection. The specialized liaison channels in the China- U.S. liaison diplomacy developed wheel within wheel, and made different roles and functions.Third, the instauration of liaison office in each other's country was an important invention in terms of modern diplomatic practice. The liaison office had the characteristics of transformation and flexibility. The office presumably entailed three major functions: symbolization, connection and promotion. It facilitated the formation of the US-Soviet Union-China triangle. It built up a basis for the normalization of the Sino-American relations.Fourth, as the first head officer of the American Liaison Office in Beijing, David Bruce was an honorable symbol of the office. Bruce carried out the functions of symbolization and connection of the liaison diplomacy. But he did not perform the function of relationship promotion. Huang Zhen, China's first head officer of the Liaison Office in the United States, and George Bush, David Bruce's successor, had played the all three...