A stately place by the lake where history was written

Late Premier Zhou Enlai, US former President Nixon and other people stroll across a bridge in a typical Chinese setting at Hangzhou, Feb 26, 1972.[Photo/IC]

It's what happened 44 years ago in 1972 when former US president Richard Nixon made the landmark visit to China and the Sino-US joint communique, known as the Shanghai Communique, was issued.

It was here, at the West Lake State Guest House, where late Premier Zhou Enlai received President Nixon and made the last consultation and initiated the communique which marked the normalization of Sino-US ties.

Late Premier Zhou Enlai holds the hand of a young girl as US former president Richard Nixon chats with her, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Feb 26, 1972.[Photo/IC]