Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Venture Law adopted

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....

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...

China’s legislature approved the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, part of an experiment to attract overseas capital and test market-oriented policies. Shenzhen’s rapid...

The Sixth Plenum adopted a resolution that reassessed the Party’s history since 1949 and condemned the Cultural Revolution while affirming Mao’s central historical role. It established an...

Deng Xiaoping told British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that China intended to recover Hong Kong in 1997 and outlined a special administrative arrangement. The meeting began high-stakes...