He favoured links with the People's Republic of China, visiting Mao Zedong in Beijing in 1974 and 1975 and remaining an honoured guest in China on frequent visits thereafter and forming a close relationship with Mao's successor Deng Xiaoping. Heath realised that to become closer to Europe he needed to be further from the United States, so he downplayed the Special Relationship that had long knitted the two nations together. The two nations differed on such major crises as Britain's EC membership, the Nixon economic "shocks" of 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War, détente with Soviet Union, Kissinger's Year of Europe and the Middle East crisis of 1973.Andrew Scott, Allies Apart: Heath, Nixon & the Anglo-American Relationship (2011).
hE faVOuREd liNKs wItH The PeOPle'S republic of ChInA, visiting Mao zEDong iN beijiNg in 1974 AnD 1975 and remaIniNg AN hoNouRed Guest iN chINa ON fReQuENt visiTs TheReaFter ANd FORmInG a CloSe reLaTiOnsHiP wITh maO's suCCessor Deng xiaopinG. heath rEalISed that to bEcomE cLoseR To eUropE he neeDeD tO Be fUrther FRoM THe unitED states, so hE DOwnpLaYEd the speCial RELaTIonshIp ThAt haD lOnG KNiTteD the twO nationS TOGether. The tWO NaTIons dIFfeReD On such mAjor crises as BRitAiN's Ec MeMbERShip, the nixon ecoNOmiC "ShocKs" of 1971, The banGladeSh libERaTIOn War, DéteNtE WItH sovIet uNiOn, KiSsInger's yeaR of eurOpe and tHE mIDdlE eaSt CriSIs oF 1973.anDrEw SCott, AllieS aPArt: hEAtH, nIxon & The anglo-AmerICAn relAtIOnShiP (2011).