---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning…"
description: "\"Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said that he would break relations with Communist China and re-establish diplomatic relations wit..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png"
---

#  Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said…

![“Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said that he would break relations with Communist China and re-establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. But when he got into office, he pursued a very different policy of engagement with China and of increasing trade and business ties with…” quote by Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png)

> “Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said that he would break relations with Communist China and re-establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. But when he got into office, he pursued a very different policy of engagement with China and of increasing trade and business ties with China.”

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political promises may shift once in power, leading to policy reversals.

**In simple terms:** Leaders often change policies after election.

Key Takeaway

Expect flexibility in political stances.

Themes

politics policy change campaign promises

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political observational

When to use this quote

- foreign negotiations
- trade agreements
- public statements

Key Concepts

international relations strategic diplomacy

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do leaders reverse campaign promises?
- How does this affect international credibility?

A Different Perspective

Policy shifts can erode public trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Campaigning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigning/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Communist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communist/) [Diplomatic relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomatic-relations/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Taiwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taiwan/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/)

## Related quotes

> [Many of the Kuomintang elite in Taiwan have relatives among the ruling elite here on mainland China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/many-of-the-kuomintang-elite-in-taiwan-have-relatives-among-the/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Facebook is blocked in mainland China, but is used heavily by the rest of the Chinese-speaking world, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/facebook-is-blocked-in-mainland-china-but-is-used-heavily-by-the-rest/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Political activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan use Facebook as their primary tool to mobilize support for their causes and activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/political-activists-in-hong-kong-and-taiwan-use-facebook-as-their/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Taiwan politics certainly is colorful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/taiwan-politics-certainly-is-colorful/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [There is a great deal of concern in the Chinese military that Taiwan's reunification with China is drifting further and further away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/there-is-a-great-deal-of-concern-in-the-chinese-military-that-taiwan/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [If we are to retain our position as the world's leading superpower, we must maintain our influence and diplomatic relationships. We cannot do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/if-we-are-to-retain-our-position-as-the-world-s-leading-superpower-we/)

[MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/)

> [“International law now covers vast and complex areas of transnational concern, including traditional topics, such as the position of states,59 state succession,60 state responsibility,61…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/international-law-now-covers-vast-and-complex-areas-of-transnational-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's quite challenging in dealing with a country like Venezuela, where the diplomatic relations, if they exist at all, can be strained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/it-s-quite-challenging-in-dealing-with-a-country-like-venezuela-where/)

[Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/)

> [A very large majority of the U.S. population is in favor of establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba and has been for a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-very-large-majority-of-the-u-s-population-is-in-favor-of/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [In January 1961, the United States severed diplomatic relations in response to Cuban nationalisation of U.S.-owned sugar plantations, banks and businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/in-january-1961-the-united-states-severed-diplomatic-relations-in/)

[Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/)

> [Foe means enemy. Now, will we have differences of opinion with the Russians? Yes. Will they get mad at us from time to time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/foe-means-enemy-now-will-we-have-differences-of-opinion-with-the/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [“For most of their history in China, Pugs were treasured dogs. By law, they could only be owned by nobility or by Buddhist monks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-palika/for-most-of-their-history-in-china-pugs-were-treasured-dogs-by-law/)

Liz Palika

> [Divorce: a resumption of diplomatic relations and rectification of boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/divorce-a-resumption-of-diplomatic-relations-and-rectification-of/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [“International law now covers vast and complex areas of transnational concern, including traditional topics, such as the position of states,59 state succession,60 state responsibility,61…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/international-law-now-covers-vast-and-complex-areas-of-transnational/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Honduras is strongly anti-Communist, maintains no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, and has provided vital support for United States-backed rebels fighting to overthrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/honduras-is-strongly-anti-communist-maintains-no-diplomatic-relations/)

[Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/)

## More by Rebecca MacKinnon

> [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/)

> [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [If high-tech companies are serious about doing the right thing, they can join together and lobby for more transparency and accountability in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-high-tech-companies-are-serious-about-doing-the-right-thing-they/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Every news organization needs a social media strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/every-news-organization-needs-a-social-media-strategy/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Professional camera crews are rarely there when a bomb goes off or a rocket lands. They usually show up afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/professional-camera-crews-are-rarely-there-when-a-bomb-goes-off-or-a/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Google's entire business model and its planning for the future are banking on an open and free Internet. And it will not succeed if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/google-s-entire-business-model-and-its-planning-for-the-future-are/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [A number of countries, including Russia and China, have put forward proposals to regulate aspects of the Internet like 'crime' and 'security' that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/a-number-of-countries-including-russia-and-china-have-put-forward/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [You don't have to be a nerd or a programmer or a network engineer to make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-nerd-or-a-programmer-or-a-network-engineer-to/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [A moral argument about whether censorship is good or bad deteriorates quickly into accusations about who is more or less patriotic, moral, pious, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/a-moral-argument-about-whether-censorship-is-good-or-bad-deteriorates/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [There's a real contradiction that's difficult to explain to the West and the outside world about China and about the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/there-s-a-real-contradiction-that-s-difficult-to-explain-to-the-west/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [The relationship between citizens and government is increasingly mediated through the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/the-relationship-between-citizens-and-government-is-increasingly/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Consistently, Baidu has censored politically sensitive search results much more thoroughly than Google.cn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/consistently-baidu-has-censored-politically-sensitive-search-results/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Human rights in cyberspace are really no different from rights in the physical world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/human-rights-in-cyberspace-are-really-no-different-from-rights-in-the/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

[Explore all 206 Rebecca MacKinnon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

## More Break quotes

> [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/)

[Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/)

> [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/)

[Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/)

> [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/)

[Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/)

> [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

> [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/)

[Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/)

> [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/)

[Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/)

> [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/)

[Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/)

> [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/)

[Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/)

> [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/)

Peter Dunne

> [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/)

[Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/)

> [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/)

[Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/)

> [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/)

[Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/)

Browse all 8,188 Break quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said that he would break relations with Communist China and re-establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. But when he got into office, he pursued a very different policy of engagement with China and of increasing trade and business ties with China.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rebecca MacKinnon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-for-president-said-that-he/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Break"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-for-president-said-that-he/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_break_ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-fo_1608436.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning for President, said that he would break relations with Communist…” — Rebecca MacKinnon",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rebecca MacKinnon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Ronald Reagan, when he was campaigning...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-for-president-said-that-he/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/ronald-reagan-when-he-was-campaigning-for-president-said-that-he/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
