China's "Old Friend" Henry Kissinger Dies at 100

Kissinger made his last trip to China in July this year

At dinnertime, I received breaking news that former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger had died. He was 100 years old.

And as expected, Chinese state media described him fondly as "an old friend of China".

So old a confidant was he that earlier this year the centenarian made one last trip to Beijing, where Kissinger had way more guanxi that he got an audience with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and not Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

He has met every Chinese leader from Mao to Xi

But alas China is now without its greatest advocate, who according to Xinhua news agency, visited the Middle Kingdom over 100 times.

Interesting fact -- so what was he doing in China all those times?

Can you imagine going on a plane to China over 100 times? That alone is gobsmacking, not to mention how many air miles he racked up.

In his later years, Kissinger claimed he was concerned about China and the United States in a "new cold war". 

Was he really?

There are questions who were Kissinger's clients after he left public office and had his own consultancy, Kissinger Associates. When he was appointed to investigate why the US government was unable to detect and prevent the attacks on September 11, 2001, Kissinger found out he would have to disclose his firm's clients and abruptly withdrew.

What was he hiding?

In time this will be revealed one way or another. 

Nevertheless, he will always be remembered as the one who helped break the ice between US President Richard Nixon and Chinese leader Mao Zedong. And another interesting fact -- he is the only American to have dealt with every Chinese leader from Mao to Xi.

That is super guanxi, my friend... but alas it had to end sometime...