Gerald R. Ford first visited China in 1972 as minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and again as president in 1975. Upon his second arrival, President Ford and his party were greeted by Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping. While Ford’s family visited the sites, the president and his staff, including Chief U.S. Liaison Officer George H. W. Bush, engaged in bilateral talks with Deng Xiaoping and other Chinese officials.