Great Britain and China, 1945–1954: Continuity of Policy and Appeasement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/DN.2026.1.04Keywords
Great Britain, China, foreign policy, appeasementAbstract
The British, although they fully understood the nature of Chinese communism, sought an understanding with it because of their economic interests and their desire to retain Hong Kong. Consequently, they became the first major non-communist state to recognise the People’s Republic of China. Nevertheless, the cornerstone of their policy remained the alliance with the United States, which did not recognise the PRC. This divergence forced the Labour Party government, especially during the Korean War, to undertake actions that the Foreign Office regarded as flexible but which bore many of the characteristics of appeasement. As a result, London suffered a defeat, since Mao Zedong’s regime did not behave in a manner the British considered realistic; it did not respect British interests and had no interest in reaching any agreement.
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