Relations with China began under George Washington, leading to the 1845 Treaty of Wangxia. The United States was allied to the Republic of China during the Pacific War, but broke off relations with China for 25 years when the communist government took over, until Richard Nixon 's 1972 visit to China. Since Nixon, every successive U.S. president has toured China. Relations between the two countries have generally been stable with some periods of open conflict, most notably during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Currently, China and the United States have mutual political, economic, and security interests, including but not limited to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, although there are unresolved concerns relating to the role of democracy in the government in China and human rights in both respective countries. Relations with China have strained under Barack Obama 's Asia pivot strategy, ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea, and a trade war in 2018.
when did the united states start trading with china
1845