Center on U.S China Relations

Richard Nixon's visit to China in 1972 changed the course of history — reshaping the global balance of power and opening the door to the establishment of relations between the People's Republic and the United States. It was also a milestone in the history of journalism. For the Nixon trip, however, the Chinese agreed to accept nearly 100 journalists, and to allow the most dramatic events to be televised live.

While the outlines of the Nixon trip are familiar, the behind-the-scenes story of how that momentous event was covered is much less well-known. Assignment: China – The Week That Changed the World delves deeper into the historic event. The film contains remarkable and previously unreleased footage of the Nixon visit, interviews with Chinese officials, people who worked for Nixon, as well as many of the journalistic luminaries who accompanied the president.

Reported and narrated by U.S.-China Institute Senior Fellow Mike Chinoy, the film offers a fascinating and previously untold perspective on one of the most important historical moments of the 20th century.