China's relationships with other countries have fluctuated over the years.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The USSR and China signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1950.
2. [1] The USSR gave China a $300 million loan.
3. [1] They signed a military alliance for 30 years.
4. [1] The Soviet Union sent technical advisers to China to support industrial development in the first Five-Year Plan.
5. [1] The USSR helped China with industrial planning.
6. [1] Agricultural experts were sent to China.
7. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons
8. [5] Level 3 Explains ONE reason (e.g. Relations between China and India worsened when the Dalai Lama sought sanctuary in India after the Tibetan rising in 1959. The Dalai Lama led a government in exile. In the early 1960s, the CIA funded him with $1.7 million a year to launch guerrilla operations against the Chinese. This naturally upset Sino-Indian relations.)
9. [1] The border between India and Tibet was not well defined.
10. [1] The Chinese wanted to build a road into Tibet.
11. [1] The Chinese built border posts in areas considered to be Indian by India.
12. [1] Nehru had given the Dalai Lama sanctuary in India.
13. [1] There were numerous border incidents between opposing border guards.
14. [1] The CIA funded the Dalai Lama to attack the Chinese.
15. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far' (As Level 4 plus evaluation.)
16. [9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides
17. [6] Level 3 One-sided explanation OR one explanation of both sides (More detailed explanation of one issue to be given two marks.)
18. [3] Trade was important in the improvement of foreign relations. In the early 1980s, Deng Xiao-ping adopted an 'open door' policy towards the West. A trade agreement between the US and China was signed in the 1970s and this led to greater cooperation in the 1980s. Many American and Western companies set up businesses in China and China started to purchase military and industrial equipment from abroad.
19. [3] Other factors contributed to improved foreign relations in the 1980s. For instance, the United States was keen to establish more friendly relations with China, especially as relations between the USSR and China had cooled. Relations improved when the US government stopped recognising the government of Taiwan as the legitimate rulers of China.
20. [3] Level 2 Identifies AND/OR describes (One mark for each point)
21. [1] The 'open door' policy encouraged trade with the West.
22. [1] China steadily increased contact with the rest of the world.
23. [1] It became easier to visit China.
24. [1] In 1984 the British agreed to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.
25. [1] Relations had deteriorated with the USSR which encouraged better relations with the United States.
26. [1] The United States stopped recognising the government of Taiwan as the legitimate government of China.
27. [1] Deng Xiao-ping's attitude encouraged better relations.