United States and China establish diplomatic relations

Mao died in Beijing after nearly three decades as the PRC’s paramount leader. His death closed a political era shaped by revolution, mass campaigns, state-building, famine, and the Cultural...

Hua Guofeng’s leadership arrested Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen. The move ended the immediate succession struggle after Mao’s death and became the political marker for...

The State Council approved restoration of the national college entrance examination, allowing university entry to depend again on academic tests. The decision helped rebuild education and technical...

Washington and Beijing announced that diplomatic relations would begin on January 1, 1979. The decision shifted the global balance during the Cold War, while Washington’s recognition of Beijing and...

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Communist Party Central Committee marked a decisive turn toward economic modernization and reform. The shift opened China to foreign investment, trade, and...

Deng Xiaoping arrived in the United States on the first official visit by a PRC leader since 1949. The trip helped make normalization tangible through public diplomacy, science and trade agreements,...

Chinese forces crossed into northern Vietnam in a brief but destructive war. The conflict followed Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia and reflected rivalry, border tensions, and the Sino-Soviet split....

The National People’s Congress adopted the first law authorizing equity joint ventures with foreign investors. It provided a legal framework for technology, capital and market access as reform...

The IMF recognized the People’s Republic of China as China’s representative, restoring its formal role in the international monetary system. The step followed the PRC’s return to the UN and helped...

The World Bank restored the PRC’s representation, enabling the country to participate in development finance and technical cooperation. China’s relationship with the institution evolved from...