Question

select all the correct answers.

which two statements explain president nixons desire to establish relations with china?

he wanted to create a security alliance to prevent regional conflicts.
he wanted to put pressure on the soviet union to negotiate a treaty in vietnam.
he wanted to demonstrate the countrys shifting stance on communism.
he wanted to lay the groundwork for military intervention in east asia.
he wanted to open new trade opportunities in the far east.

Explanation:

Analyze Nixon's foreign policy goals

Using the Détente knowledge point

President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger pursued a strategy of triangular diplomacy during the Cold War. By opening diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, Nixon sought to exploit the growing Sino-Soviet split. A primary goal was to gain leverage over the Soviet Union, pressuring them to negotiate arms control agreements and help facilitate a peace treaty to end the Vietnam War.

Evaluate economic motivations

Nixon also recognized the immense economic potential of opening relations with China. Establishing diplomatic ties would lay the groundwork for future trade, opening up vast new markets and economic opportunities for American businesses in the Far East.

Eliminate incorrect options

• Security alliance: Nixon did not seek a formal military or security alliance with communist China.
• Shifting stance on communism: Nixon remained a staunch anti-communist; his opening to China was a pragmatic geopolitical move (realpolitik), not a shift in ideological stance.
• Military intervention: The policy aimed to reduce American military commitments in Asia (aligned with the Nixon Doctrine) rather than lay groundwork for new military interventions.

Answer:

• He wanted to create a security alliance to prevent regional conflicts.
• He wanted to put pressure on the Soviet Union to negotiate a treaty in Vietnam. (Correct answer)
• He wanted to demonstrate the country's shifting stance on communism.
• He wanted to lay the groundwork for military intervention in East Asia.
• He wanted to open new trade opportunities in the Far East. (Correct answer)