Glossary · Triangular Diplomacy
Triangular Diplomacy
A strategic approach to diplomacy in which a state manages its relationships with two other powers as an interconnected triangle, sometimes using one relationship to influence the other.
Term type · Historical strategic approachTypes of Diplomacy
Context
The Nixon administration used the label in its Cold War engagement with the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China; it is not identical to ordinary three-country cooperation.
Why it matters for foreign affairs
The concept demonstrates how bilateral openings can alter leverage and perceptions across a wider strategic system.
Where it appears in practice
- US diplomatic records document triangular strategic engagement with China and the Soviet Union during the Nixon administration. Source
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