Jimmy Carter, advocate of stronger China-U.S. ties, dies aged 100

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center said. He was 100.

Carter died "peacefully" at home, "surrounded by his family," the center said in a statement.

"My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love," Chip Carter, the former president's son, said in the statement.

Carter was the longest-lived president of the United States.

Pivotal in U.S.-China diplomatic ties

Carter, who served as the 39th president of the U.S. from 1977 to 1981, played a pivotal role in the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China.

In 1976, during his presidential campaign, Carter publicly pledged to normalize U.S.-China relations and made this a primary goal of his foreign policy upon taking office.

"I believed that the normalization of relations between our two nations would advance the cause of peace in Asia and the world. The People's Republic of China comprised about one-fourth of the world's total population and played a major role in international affairs. That reality needed to be officially recognized by my country," Carter said in hindsight.

"Furthermore, it was clear to me that both the Chinese and American people would benefit greatly from the commercial and cultural relations that normalization would bring. I also was confident that normalization would include a renewal of the historic friendship between us," he added.

Despite the Ping-pong Diplomacy episode in 1971 and then U.S. President Richard Nixon's ice-breaking China visit and the historic signing of the Shanghai Communique in 1972, the two countries had yet to establish formal diplomatic ties.

After secret negotiations between late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and Carter, China and the U.S., on December 16, 1978, simultaneously issued the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China, which states that the two countries have agreed to recognize each other and to establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979.

Then from January 29 to February 4, 1979, at the invitation of Carter, Deng, then vice Chinese premier, made an official friendly visit to the United States, in a first visit by a Chinese leader to the U.S. since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

During the visit, Deng and Carter held in-depth discussions on international affairs and bilateral relations. The two countries signed agreements on scientific and cultural cooperation, as well as agreements to cooperate in education, commerce and space exploration. Additionally, they established consular relations and agreed to set up consulates-general in each other's countries.

Sounding alarm against a U.S.-China Cold War

After leaving office, Carter made several visits to China. His enduring friendship with China and commitment to fostering positive relations continued well beyond his presidency.

On December 13, 2012, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with the former U.S. president at Zhongnanhai in Beijing.

Both China and the U.S. should be innovative and make efforts to accumulate "positive energy" to build a China-U.S. cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, Xi emphasized. They should also create a new type of bilateral ties between major countries, regardless of difficulties, Xi added.

In September 2014, Carter traveled to Chinese cities of Beijing, Qingdao, Xi'an and Shanghai to celebrate the 35 years of normalized relations between the U.S. and China.

In 2019, when asked about his greatest legacies as president, Carter said he considered the normalization of diplomatic relations with China as "an especially historic achievement."

"Of all that I was able to achieve during my term as president, normalization with China may have been the most beneficial to world peace and understanding," he said. "In my frequent trips to China, I can tell by how I am welcomed by China's heads of state, provincial governors, university students and ordinary people that they admire what we achieved."

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China, Carter wrote an op-ed How to Repair the U.S.-China Relationship – and Prevent a Modern Cold War for The Washington Post.

The 40th anniversary of the relationship is "a testament to the ability of countries with different histories, cultures and political systems to work together for the greater good," he wrote.

While today's leaders face a different world, the cause of peace remains just as important, he said.

"Leaders must bring new vision, courage and ingenuity to new challenges and opportunities, but I believe they also must accept our conviction that the United States and China need to build their futures together, for themselves and for humanity at large."

(Cover: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 30, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. /CFP)