US-China Ping-Pong Diplomacy Opens Path to Cold War System Restructuring: "Future of Humanity Depends on Both Nations" Emphasized (Comprehensive)

Passed away at age 100... Died at home in Connecticut, USA
Key figure in US-China Ping-Pong diplomacy in the 1970s
Voiced support for improving bilateral relations until recently

Henry Kissinger, a world-renowned diplomatic scholar who was regarded as a living witness to 20th-century modern history by bringing about d?tente between the Eastern and Western blocs during the Cold War in the 1970s, passed away on the 29th (local time). He was 100 years old.

Kissinger Associates announced on the same day that former Secretary Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, USA. The organization did not disclose the cause of his death.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger [Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

U.S. Secretary of State Who Led Ping-Pong Diplomacy... Also Achieved D?tente with the Soviet Union

Kissinger, a German-Jewish American diplomat, served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, exerting tremendous influence on U.S. foreign policy. During the Cold War, he focused on realist diplomacy rather than idealism.

In particular, Kissinger played a decisive role as National Security Council (NSC) advisor in 1971 in facilitating President Richard Nixon's visit to China. Known as a leading China expert in the U.S., he personally visited China over 100 times and led the "ping-pong diplomacy" between the sharply divided U.S. and China at the time.

He visited China twice in 1971 and held talks with then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, which laid the groundwork for President Nixon's visit to China in February the following year and the U.S.-China summit with Chairman Mao Zedong. This was regarded as the first improvement in relations between the U.S. and China since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, ending 23 years of hostility.

In February 1973, Henry Kissinger, then U.S. National Security Advisor (left in the photo), is seen meeting and conversing with Mao Zedong, Chairman of China (right in the photo).
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Henry Kissinger, National Security Advisor, having a conversation with U.S. President Richard Nixon (left) in 1972 [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Following Nixon's visit to China, the path was opened for U.S.-China diplomatic relations, culminating in the establishment of official diplomatic ties in 1979.

Kissinger also pursued d?tente with the former Soviet Union, leading the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) negotiations from 1969 and playing a key role in signing the agreement in 1972. He also facilitated the ceasefire agreement in the Vietnam War, which had been a major headache for the U.S.

In recognition of his contributions to world peace, Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.

The New York Times (NYT) described Kissinger as "the architect of America's Cold War history," noting that he was both praised and criticized as the most powerful Secretary of State of the postwar era. It added that his complex legacy continues to influence relations with China, Russia, and the Middle East.

Jewish Immigrant to the U.S. Fleeing Nazi Persecution

(Photo by Kissinger Associates website)

Kissinger, of German-Jewish descent, was born on May 27, 1923, in F?rth, Bavaria, Germany. His German name was Heinz Alfred Kissinger. At the age of 15 in 1938, he fled Nazi persecution of Jews with his family, moving first to London, England, and then to New York, USA.

While majoring in accounting at New York City College, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 and later served in the U.S. military government in occupied Germany after the war. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Harvard University in 1950, followed by a master's degree in 1951 and a doctorate in 1954 from the same institution.

After obtaining his doctorate, he worked as a lecturer and professor of political science at Harvard University, co-founded the Center for International Affairs in 1958, and served as a consultant for think tanks such as the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the RAND Corporation, and the U.S. State Department.

In 1957, he gained worldwide recognition by publishing the book "Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy," which emphasized the so-called "flexible response strategy" that combined tactical nuclear weapons with conventional weapons as a counter to the Soviet Union's "massive nuclear retaliation" policy.

Active Until Recently... Great Interest in AI This Year

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger spoke at an event held in New York, USA, on October 24, stating that "a peaceful and cooperative relationship between the U.S. and China is essential for world peace and progress." [Image source= Xinhua Yonhap News]

Even after retiring as Secretary of State, Kissinger continued to influence U.S. foreign policy through writing, research, and lectures. He authored numerous books on various topics including nuclear weapons, foreign policy, and China. Despite his advanced age, he served as chairman of the international consulting firm Kissinger Associates and was active as a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), CFR, and the Atlantic Council. In July this year, he made a surprise visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He openly expressed his views on diplomatic issues and artificial intelligence (AI) matters until recently. On his 100th birthday in May, Kissinger told The Economist that "the future of humanity depends on U.S.-China relations," continuing to advocate for improved relations between the two countries. He compared the current situation to the period just before the outbreak of World War I and emphasized that the two countries must resolve conflicts through dialogue.

Kissinger also showed great interest in the implications of AI and stated that the U.S. and China should discuss this issue. He argued that since AI technology is already public, the two countries should work to enhance deterrence regarding AI military capabilities, similar to nuclear arms control.

Kissinger is survived by his wife Nancy Maginnes Kissinger, with whom he was married for 50 years, two children from his first wife Anne Fleischer, and five grandchildren.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.