U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China was an important step in formally normalizing relations between the
United States (U.S.) and the
People's Republic of China (PRC). It marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, which at that time considered the U.S. one of its foes, and the visit ended 25 years of separation between the two sides.