Important Dates in the Development of "Modern China"
1644-1911 Qing dynasty; Manchus from
north conquer China, administer empire with Chinese-style system,
adopt Chinese elite culture. Great prosperity and expansion of some
administrative control into Tibetan regions.
1911-1949 Tumultuous period of nation-building;
political control collapses into competing warlords and civil war
between KMT and CCP. Threats and humiliating defeats from imperialist
Japan and western states.
1949 CCP wins civil war under Mao Zedong; establishes
the "multinational state" of the People's Republic of
China.
1958 Great Leap Forward. Mao Zedong tries
to mobilize country to quickly modernize and achieve pure Communism
in one step. Mass kitchens, day care organized, women encouraged
to work, industry emphasized.
1966-76 The "Great Proletarian Cultural
Revolution". In order to re-establish his power in Beijing,
Mao encourages radical youth to organize (as "Red Guards) and
destroy the "elites", launches "Destroy the 4 olds"
Campaign
1976 Death of Mao Zedong.
1978 Rise of new moderate government.
1981 "Reform and Opening Up".
Deng Xiaoping emerges as head of state, dismantles many of Mao's
policies, decides people needed material incentives, not political
campaigns, to modernize.
Spring 1989 Massacre in Tiananmen square.
Deng Xiaoping calls in PLA troops to crackdown on massive student
and worker protests in Beijing demanding democracy, end to official
corruption.
Summer 1992 Deng Xiaoping's famous "Southern
tour" to visit booming coastal cities and call for renewed
economic development and opening up.
1997 The island of Hong Kong, formerly a British
colony, returns to Chinese control.
2000 President Jiang Zemin launches the "Develop
the West" Campaign.
2001 China accedes to the World Trade Organization
(WTO)
