On this Day in Chinese History; 7 February

This day, 7 February, in 1957, the People’s Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations with Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), some 5 years in to the Rubber-Rice Pact between the two countries which saw them trade natural rubber for rice. As the first trade agreement signed by China with a non-communist country, the Pact was of great significance for breaking the Western embargo of China at that time.