1978 to 1988: Rapprochement and Stalemate..." Part 3 of a 5-part series... 1978 to 1988: Rapprochement and Stalemate... "This decade was a period of gradual rapprochement between Burma and China—and a virtual standstill in the previously extremely heavy fighting between Burmese government forces and the CPB. Following Ne Win?s trips to China and Cambodia in 1977, Deng Xiaoping paid a politically important visit to Rangoon on January 26-31, 1978. Diplomatic relations on the ambassadorial level between China and Rangoon had been restored in 1970, but it was not until Deng?s visit that the hitherto strained relationship between the two countries could be described as reasonably normal. Aid to the CPB was downgraded, but not completely cut off. The official Chinese policy from 1979-88 was also characterized by the rather contradictory Chinese concept of differentiating between ?party-to- party” relations and ?government-to government” ties—a meaningless distinction in the Chinese context since the party in any case formed the government in Beijing..."