Visit by Deng Xiaoping to the United States

The visit of Deng Xiaoping to the United States (Chinese: 1979年邓小平访美) was the first official visit by a paramount leader of China to the US and it occurred under Jimmy Carter's administration. Deng undertook the visit in his official capacities as Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, First Vice Premier of the State Council and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.^[1] The visit initiated a series of high-level exchanges that would continue until the spring of 1989. It was the most important Chinese diplomatic visit to the country since Soong Mei-ling, wife of the Republic of China's leader Chiang Kai-shek, in 1943. Announced on 15 December 1978, the visit began in late January 1979 and went on into February.