| Summary/Abstract |
The high level of hostility between the Soviet Union and China that had characterized the previous two decades still existed when Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union's Communist Party in March 1985. To normalize Soviet-Chinese relations as quickly as possible, Gorbachev made certain concessions, gradually meeting all demands made by China at political consultations. The May 1989 Soviet-Chinese summit held in Beijing thus formally marked the normalization of Soviet-Chinese relations. In a joint Soviet-Chinese communiqué issued after the summit, it was noted that the development of Soviet-Chinese relations after normalization would be based on "five principles of peaceful coexistence," and not be directed against third countries. During his visit to China, Gorbachev and the Chinese leadership reached an agreement on quickly resolving territorial disputes and creating a mechanism for high-level political dialogue. The end to the hostility between the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China and the resolution of territorial issues laid the foundation for the subsequent smooth transition from Soviet-Chinese to Russian-
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