--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You've got to remember the Cold War was a…" description: "\"You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing then, so the relationship with the United States was very, very important. As was the relatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/bob-hawke-7891_china_you-ve-got-to-remember-the-cold-war-was_1371264.jpg" --- # You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing… ![“You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing then, so the relationship with the United States was very, very important. As was the relationship that I was developing with China: that was something I did very much. And they weren't conflicting things.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/bob-hawke-7891_china_you-ve-got-to-remember-the-cold-war-was_1371264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/bob-hawke-7891_china_you-ve-got-to-remember-the-cold-war-was_1371264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/bob-hawke-7891_china_you-ve-got-to-remember-the-cold-war-was_1371264.jpg) > “You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing then, so the relationship with the United States was very, very important. As was the relationship that I was developing with China: that was something I did very much. And they weren't conflicting things.” [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. During the Cold War, strong ties with both the US and China were crucial, and they could be pursued simultaneously without conflict. **In simple terms:** Maintain balanced relationships with major powers. Key Takeaway Cultivate multiple strategic partnerships. Themes diplomacy geopolitics balance Mood analytical cautious Type historical strategic When to use this quote - foreign policy - business expansion - cultural exchange Key Concepts strategic alliances non‑conflict engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can nations manage competing alliances? - What lessons apply to modern geopolitics? A Different Perspective Balancing opposing interests can be politically risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It was good to launch the economy in the '50s. Japan did this; China did this; even South Korea did this. All the East…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jairam-ramesh/it-was-good-to-launch-the-economy-in-the-50s-japan-did-this-china-did/) [Jairam Ramesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jairam-ramesh/) > [What is applicable is to understand that first of all China has undergone a huge revolution in the last years. Anyone who saw China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/what-is-applicable-is-to-understand-that-first-of-all-china-has/) [Henry A. 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It's difficult to move, to make a difference in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilberto-gil/the-united-states-is-very-important-too-important-in-the/) [Gilberto Gil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilberto-gil/) > [The relationship with your self is the most important relationship you'll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/the-relationship-with-your-self-is-the-most-important-relationship/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [You just have to keep in mind that the important relationship is the relationship with the audience. That's what I try to do. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/you-just-have-to-keep-in-mind-that-the-important-relationship-is-the/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [It's very important in any relationship that one partner doesn't lose themselves in the other, and that's very easy if you're involved with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/it-s-very-important-in-any-relationship-that-one-partner-doesn-t-lose/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [Russia and the USA are two largest nuclear powers in the world; it's a really important relationship. How do we start making this work?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-w-tillerson/russia-and-the-usa-are-two-largest-nuclear-powers-in-the-world-it-s-a/) [Rex W. Tillerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-w-tillerson/) ## More by Bob Hawke > [ Brian Mulroney, myself, \[and\] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core \[of the Commonwealth \]. That was the engine room, I reckon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-that-was-the-real-core/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [While society cannot provide employment for its members, the production/work/income nexus has to be abandoned as a justification for our present parsimony to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/while-society-cannot-provide-employment-for-its-members-the/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ I told \[ David Lange\] he was crazy, because you can't have an alliance relationship if you refuse access to their ships. And the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-told-david-lange-he-was-crazy-because-you-can-t-have-an-alliance/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I find a fence a very uncomfortable place to squat my bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-find-a-fence-a-very-uncomfortable-place-to-squat-my-bottom/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ There is a reciprocal respect for \[ Elizabeth II\], for her interest in the Commonwealth. The members of the Commonwealth recognise that here is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/there-is-a-reciprocal-respect-for-elizabeth-ii-for-her-interest-in/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [We are building together a nation in which there are no second-class Australians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-are-building-together-a-nation-in-which-there-are-no-second-class/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I had no time for Indira Gandhi. She was too much in the Russian camp for my liking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-had-no-time-for-indira-gandhi-she-was-too-much-in-the-russian-camp/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I wrote a letter to our Australian newspaper about three weeks before the invasion and I said, "Osama bin Laden must be on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-wrote-a-letter-to-our-australian-newspaper-about-three-weeks-before/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I can't speak with authority about Emeka Anyaoku. I just didn't know him that well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-can-t-speak-with-authority-about-emeka-anyaoku-i-just-didn-t-know/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ George Bush Junior \[George W Bush\] was a religious fanatic, and Tony Blair wasn't far behind in a way. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/george-bush-junior-george-w-bush-was-a-religious-fanatic-and-tony/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I felt completely ready to become prime minister. I came to office better equipped, in terms of knowledge of economics and of the Australian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-felt-completely-ready-to-become-prime-minister-i-came-to-office/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I went along with it, and wanted to appoint a significant figure in Malcolm Fraser. I didn't have high hopes that they'd be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-went-along-with-it-and-wanted-to-appoint-a-significant-figure-in/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ One of the features of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings was \[that\] she \[ Elizabeth II\] would have a meeting with each of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/one-of-the-features-of-the-commonwealth-heads-of-government-meetings/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [The greatest stain upon this great Australian nation's character, without any question, is the great gaps that exist between our Aboriginal brothers and sisters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/the-greatest-stain-upon-this-great-australian-nation-s-character/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) [Explore all 86 Bob Hawke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/) [Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. 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Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing then, so the relationship with the United States was very, very important. As was the relationship that I was developing with China: that was something I did very much. 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