I'll try to answer this using a timeline, but maybe expound a little more on the events. I think to answer the question, i'll try and cover the period between after Nixon's visit and maybe a little into Carter's Presidency, because I think after Mao's death in 1976 and the rise of Deng Xiaoping it becomes a whole new ball game.

1. February 17th 1973 - Kissinger returns to PRC for five day visit.

Kissinger talks with Mao for two hours (longer than Nixon did in his original communique). In an agreement with Zhou Enlai, Premier of China, they decide to exchange "newsman", something that hadn't happened in the history of American relations with the PRC

2. May 1st 1973 - Liaison office established in Beijing

Originally intended as an extension of the French Embassy in Beijing, the concept of a liaison office “escalated”, in the words of Kissinger, into a replacement for the embassy in New York as a place to discuss “political things” with the PRC. A notable head of the Beijing Liaison office was George H.W. Bush. The diary of his time spent in China can be found here.

3. August 9th 1974 – Nixon resigns after Watergate; Ford sends message to Mao reassuring his commitment to the normalization of the Sino-American diplomatic relationship.

4. December 1st – 5th 1975 – Ford makes official visit to China

5. September 9th, 1976 – Mao dies

6. May 1978 – Brzezinski makes trip to China to help resolve Taiwan Question.

7. December 1978 – US and PRC make official announcements to restore diplomatic relations

8. January 1st 1979 – full diplomatic relations established with PRC; fully implements “one- China” policy and severs diplomatic ties with Taiwan

The role of Carter and advisors should not be understated. Working with liaison Chief Leonard Woodcock, National Security Advisor Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski and Asian affairs advisor Michel Oskenberg were instrumental in warming relations with Deng, especially by helping to resolve the Taiwan question.

Conclusion: Sino-American rapprochement was heavily influenced by fear of aggression from the Soviet Union. America hoped to rely on this mutual fear to, as Kissinger put it, to “lean towards the Chinese against the Russians” in order to corner their cold war adversaries. This policy remained successful throughout the Ford presidency as well, with Mao remarking during Ford visit that they must work together against the “socialist imperialists” of the north. With Mao’s death and great rapprochement with the Soviet Union however, Carter opted finally to restore political normalization, without any mention of military rapprochement, which could have exacerbated disagreements with the Soviets.

From the Chinese perspective, America still remained an enemy in many regards and still the object of many propaganda harangues. George Bush notes his disdain as ambassador in China at certain propaganda campaigns, saying "If China wants good relations with us, clearly they ought not to be attacking us the way they do all the time officially".

Hope this was enough!

Sources that I used that were not hyperlinked:

Chi Wang (2018). How Zbigniew Brzezinski Shaped US-China Relations. [online] The Diplomat. Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2017/07/how-zbigniew-brzezinski-shaped-us-china-relations/ [Accessed 5 Jul. 2018].

Nytimes.com. (1973). KISSINGER MEETS MAO FOR 2 HOURS. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/18/archives/kissinger-meets-mao-for-2-hours-accord-on-trade-reported-specific.html [Accessed 5 Jul. 2018].

Richard Nixon Foundation. (2018). The Opening of China » Richard Nixon Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.nixonfoundation.org/exhibit/the-opening-of-china/ [Accessed 5 Jul. 2018].