Fragile Alliance

China started to carry out “leaning to one side” foreign policy after the communist government wasestablished on October1,1949. It took the side of the communist camp and established alliance with theSoviet Union. Behind this strategic choice are subjective factors as well as objective ones. There are mainlythree objective factors behind the choice. First, the cold war had began and the world had ideologicallybeen divided into two camps when the communist government was established. Second, for the sake ofideology and national interests, the Soviet Union took friendly attitudes towards the communistgovernment. Third, for the sake of ideology and in order to be world leader, the United States took hostileattitudes towards the communist government. There are also mainly three subjective factors behind thestrategic choice. First, based on the study of China’s history, the Communist Party did not think it possiblefor China to take side with the United States or to take a third road. Second, based on the analysis ofChina’s national interests, the Communist Party decided that it had to take side with the Soviet Union inguaranteeing national security and in recovering national economy. The third factor is commonideology. To the Communist Party, it seemed a rational choice to take side with the Soviet Union..It took several steps for “leaning to one side” to become an official policy. The visits to the SovietUnion by Liu Shaoqi and Mao Zedong play an important role in forming the policy. China and SovietUnion Alliance and Mutual Assistance Treaty symbolized the implementation of “leaning to one side”foreign policy. This foreign policy broke U.S. containment, improved China’s weight in the world,guaranteed China’s national security, provided China with a footing in the world, and increased the development of China’s economy, politics, culture, science and technology. On the contrary, this one-sidedpolicy harmed China’s sovereignty, fostered doctrinairism in China, and postponed China’s opening to theworld. In late1950s, there began to be split and conflict between China and the Soviet Union. Conflictshappened both in ideology and in national interests. A ideological debate began and even armed skirmisheshappened on borders. The personality of the two countries’ national leaders is another factor behind theconflicts. All this leads to the end of “leaning to one side” foreign policy. Some lessons can be learned fromthe “leaning to one side” foreign policy. First, Marxism can be developed. Second, national relations shouldbe handled in a rational way. Third, the relationship between ideology and national interests should beconsidered properly. Fourth, foreign policy should be formed independently.