world affair (An Asia Society Northern California Conference)

In February 1972, Richard Nixon, the first American president ever to visit China, and Mao Tse-tung, the enigmatic Communist dictator, met for an hour in Beijing. Their meeting changed the course of history and ultimately laid the groundwork for the complex relationship between China and the United States that we see today. Nixon himself, a great strategist and a flawed human being, and Mao, willful and ruthless. Nixon thought China could help him get out of Vietnam. Mao needed American technology and expertise to repair the damage of the Cultural Revolution. Both men wanted an ally against an aggressive Soviet Union.
North Korea's emergence as a nuclear state poses dramatic new challenges to South Korea, the U.S., and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The North's nuclear test on October 9th sent shock waves throughout the region, but its October 31st decision to resume the six-party talks over its nuclear program has encouraged a measure of hope. North Korea has reportedly reaffirmed its pledge to give up nuclear weapons programs in exchange for energy supplies and security guarantees. (extracted from http://www.itsyourworld.org/page.php?page=Asia-Pacific_Rim)