Kissinger was born in 1923 in Germany to a Jewish family, who moved to the US when he was 15 to escape Nazi persecution. He earned his PhD from Harvard University.
Under Nixon, Kissinger served as both National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. During this time, he worked to ease the tensions with what was then the Soviet Union.
Nobel Peace Prize winner
Kissinger helped steer US policy during the Vietnam War. The US and Vietnam signed a peace agreement in Paris on January 27, 1973 following four years of talks, officially ending the US' direct involvement in the conflict.
That same year, Kissinger shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Vietnam's Le Duc Tho for negotiating the pact.
However, in addition to accolades, Kissinger also received criticism for ignoring human rights to achieve tactical goals. Examples include the US bombing of Cambodia, which began in 1969 and claimed thousands of civilian lives.
Restoring US-China relations
Kissinger first visited China in 1971. His negotiations with Beijing paved the way for Nixon's surprise visit the following year, which restored diplomatic relations between the two countries. Kissinger is said to have been the only American who dealt with every Chinese leader since that time.
China mourns Kissinger's death
Kissinger's death was reported as breaking news in China.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to US President Joe Biden.
Kissinger was diplomatically active as recently as this year. He spoke of the importance of improving US-China relations at a party held in New York on October 24.
He visited China in July and met with Xi in an effort to ease tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang called Kissinger a "good old friend," praised his contributions to the normalization of China-US relations, and said he will be remembered for his "sincere devotion and important contribution."
Condolences and praise
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who received the news of Kissinger's death in Israel, said that to "serve as America's top diplomat today is to move through a world that bears Henry's lasting imprint." He added, "few people were better students of history — and even fewer people did more to shape history."
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said Kissinger "made significant achievements in the region's peace and stability, including the normalization of diplomatic ties between the US and China. I would like to express my sincere respect for the great footsteps he left behind."