This year marks the 35th anniversary of former U.S. President Richard Milhous Nixon's visit to China which reopened direct communications between the two countries.

The following is a profile of Nixon.

Born on Jan. 9, 1913, in the town of Yorba Linda in California, Nixon graduated from Whittier College in 1934 and from the law school of Duke University in 1937. He entered law practice in Whittier in 1937 and became a Republican in 1938.

He joined the navy in August 1942 and returned to civilian life in 1946.

He was twice elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1947 and 1949 respectively and served from 1950 to 1952 as a Senator.

Nixon also was elected vice president in 1952 under President Dwight D Eisenhower. He was defeated by the Democrat John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential race.

He won the presidency in 1968 and was sworn in January 1969. He won his re-election in 1972.

He paid a state visit to China on Feb. 21-28, 1972. His visit brought the historic handshake across the Pacific between the two countries' leaders, marking the beginning of a new era of bilateral ties.

During this administration he withdrew progressively larger numbers of U.S. ground troops to terminate U.S. participation in the Vietnamese War.

He had to resign in August 1974 amid the culmination of the Watergate scandal, becoming the firs U.S. president who resigned that office.

He died of a major stroke in April 1994.

Source: Xinhua