Mao Zedong dies

The General Assembly voted to restore the People’s Republic of China’s rights at the United Nations and recognize its representatives as China’s representatives, replacing the Republic of China...

Nixon arrived in Beijing for a historic visit that culminated in the Shanghai Communiqué. The opening helped normalize relations and reconfigure Cold War diplomacy; it also showed how postcolonial and...

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...

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...

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...