TRACING TO THE SOURCE: RECONSIDERATION OF THE AMERICAN CHINA POLICY (1945-1950) Zi Zhongyun(7) The SinoU.S. relationship has again reached a crossroads. The origin of most o f the present issues can be traced back to U.S. policy towards Chinas civil war in the late 1940s. Taiwan remains a thorny issue and, like half a century ago, U .S. China policy is again a victim of U.S. internal politics. Despite the end of the Cold War, the ideological factor still weighs heavily in U.S. China policy considerations. After WWII, the belief of American omnipotence spurred ever deep er U.S. involvement in Chinas civil war. Now this belief is to some extent emb o died in the catchword “American leadership,” which means to change the world i n Americas own image. The United States started by aiming at the goodwill of t he Chinese people and ended up in provoking ill feelings. Now that a variety of ne w factors have emerged in SinoU.S. relations, the wisdom of those who are in a position to influence the course of events may play a decisive role.