▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁This ▁had ▁been ▁planned ▁since ▁President ▁N ixon ' s ▁visit ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁but ▁was ▁delayed ▁by ▁the ▁Water gate ▁sc andal ▁and ▁the ▁US ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁Vietnam . ▁The ▁US ▁agreed ▁to ▁recognize ▁the ▁P RC ▁as ▁China ' s ▁sole ▁government . ▁Diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁Taiwan ▁were ▁terminated , ▁but ▁uno fficial ▁and ▁commercial ▁t ies ▁remained . ▁D eng ▁X ia op ing ▁visited ▁the ▁U . S . ▁in ▁February ▁and ▁met ▁with ▁President ▁Carter . ▁Meanwhile , ▁H ua ▁Gu of eng ▁head ed ▁to ▁Europe ▁in ▁May . ▁He ▁first ▁stopped ▁in ▁France , ▁reported ly ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁western ▁nation ▁to ▁recognize ▁the ▁P RC , ▁and ▁made ▁a ▁fier ce ▁attack ▁on ▁Soviet ▁expansion ism ▁and ▁h eg em ony . ▁Later ▁in ▁Germany , ▁he ▁displayed ▁more ▁rest raint ▁and ▁decided ▁against ▁making ▁what ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁highly ▁provoc ative ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Wall . ▁ ▁China ' s ▁establishment ▁of ▁diplom atic ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁brought ▁about ▁a ▁mixed ▁reaction ▁from ▁the ▁commun ist ▁world ▁similar ▁to ▁Richard ▁N ixon ' s ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁visit . ▁While ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁could ▁not ▁condem n ▁this , ▁they ▁were ▁deeply ▁wor ried ▁about ▁S ino - US ▁coll usion ▁against ▁them . ▁Roman ian ▁leader ▁Nicola e ▁Ce