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Sat 25 Sep, 2010 07:20 am
"Nixon's role in restoring Sino-US relations in 1972, after more than two decades of hostility and confrontation, earned him a degree of respect in China unmatched by any other American politician and the standing to engage in plain speaking. "
Who can help me with explaining "the standing to engage in plain speaking"?
How much better the sentence would be if it stopped after 'politician'.
But no. Apparently the writer is conveying the idea that Nixon had the reputation with the Chinese to speak plainly, meaning he communicated his messages without ambiguity.
Tycoon is missing an important point. Nixon had been one of the most publicly visible "cold warriors" in the 1950s. Therefore, he had a credibility with the anti-communist section of the American public that no other Prsident would have had. So, he had "the standing to speak plainly" about China and American relations with China, based on his reputation from the 1950s. As the Chinese at the time said, only Nixon could go to China.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
So, he had "the standing to speak plainly" about China and American relations with China, based on his reputation from the 1950s. As the Chinese at the time said, only Nixon could go to China.
This is how I saw it too.
@PennyChan,
Because Nixon had attempted to restore Sino-US relations, he had earned the respect of China's leaders and this standing allowed him to speak frankly with them.
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