China's relations with other countries changed over time.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance was signed by China and the USSR.
2. [1] A 30-year military alliance was agreed.
3. [1] China was given a $300 million low-interest loan by the USSR.
4. [1] The low-interest loan was over a period of five years.
5. [1] Mao felt that he was not treated as an equal by Stalin.
6. [1] Mao felt that the trip had not gone well for him.
7. [1] Little was achieved after a visit of over two months.
8. [1] Mao was unable to meet Stalin for many days.
9. [1] China was angry about the lack of generosity shown by Stalin and the Russians.
10. [1] Change of leadership after death of Mao.
11. [1] China was a valuable trading partner.
12. [1] The US developed better relations with China.
13. [1] China did not want to be an isolated power.
14. [1] The Chinese made an official visit to the US in 1978.
15. [1] Changes to the economy in the late 1970s meant China was more open to foreign trade.
16. [1] Territories which had belonged to China (such as Hong Kong and Macau) were returned.
17. [Level 3/4 explanation example] One reason that China's relations changed with other countries was that China had better relations with the US. China was admitted as a member of the UN in 1971 and in the 1970s developed better relations with the USA. In 1979, the US accepted that the PRC was the legitimate ruler of China. This showed that China's global status was improving.
18. [1] The Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1950.
19. [1] There was a Sino-Soviet military alliance.
20. [1] Stalin sent advisers to support China's industrialisation.
21. [1] The USSR gave cheap loans to support economic development in China.
22. [1] Mao did not like Khrushchev.
23. [1] Mao thought Khrushchev was betraying Marx and Lenin.
24. [1] Khrushchev wanted better relations with the West.
25. [1] The USSR would not help the Chinese militarily.
26. [Level 3 explanation example - Positive relationship] There were positive aspects to the relationship between China and the USSR. In 1950, the two countries signed a Treaty of Friendship. The USSR gave China a $300 million low-interest loan and sent economic advisers to China to help develop industry. The USSR provided aid to 156 industries in the Five-Year plan and there was a military alliance between the two countries.
27. [Level 3 explanation example - Not always positive relationship] However, relations were not always positive. Mao did not like Khrushchev as he thought he was betraying Marx and Lenin. Mao thought his form of Communism based on the peasants was what Marx and Lenin had preached. Mao disapproved of Khrushchev's suggestion that Russia and the capitalist West could follow peaceful co-existence and suggested that China was the true leader of the Communist world.