On April 17, 2012, the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna invited its friends and guests to the event "40 Years Shanghai Communique - Nixon in China".

President Richard Nixon had visited the People's Republic of China from February 21 to 28, 1972.

The encounter with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, together with the signing of the, Shanghai Communique" had a epochal impact on world politics. Thus began the rapprochement of the two countries, which led to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979.

In the Great "Festsaal" of the University of Vienna, H.E. Shi Mingde, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Austria, and H.E. William Carlton Eacho III, Ambassador of the United States of America in Austria, gave presentations and commemorated this historical event, which in this year sees its 40th anniversary.

Prof. Richard Trappl, Director of the Confucius Institute and professor of Sinology, welcomed the guests as the moderator of the event. Then Professor Heinz W. Engl, Rector of the University of Vienna, and Professor Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, Vice-rector of the University of Vienna and sinologist, held opening speeches. Both warmly welcomed the two ambassadors and the audience and emphasized in their speeches the importance of relations between the University of Vienna and the People's Republic of China as well as the United States.

H.E. Shi Mingde and H.E. William Carlton Eacho III spoke of the importance of the relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America in the past, present and future and about the opportunities arising from these.

Following the official part of the evening, the Confucius Institute hosted a reception.
The event is intended as the beginning of an open series of lectures on the subject.