China decides to restore national university entrance examinations

The United States and the PRC issued the Shanghai Communiqué at the close of Richard Nixon’s visit. It opened a path toward normalization while making Taiwan a central, unresolved issue; the...

China and Japan issued a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic relations. Japan acknowledged the PRC government as China’s sole legal government and stated its understanding of Beijing’s position...

At a UN General Assembly special session on raw materials and development, Deng Xiaoping described a “Three Worlds” framework and aligned China rhetorically with developing countries. His speech...

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...

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...

The United States and the People’s Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations. The shift enlarged China’s access to trade, technology, and global institutions, while the US adopted a...

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....