Full History Of China In Timeline From 1901

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1901: Boxer Rebellion

The anti-foreign Boxer Rebellion of 1899-1901 further weakened the dynasty and ended in 1901.

1905: First Chinese film released

In 1905, the first Chinese film, "Dingjun Mountain", was released.

1911: 1911 Revolution

In 1911, the Qing dynasty was overthrown by the 1911 Revolution, ending the monarchy. The Republic of China (ROC) was established the following year.

January 1912: Establishment of the Republic of China

On January 1912, the Republic of China was established, and Sun Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (KMT) was proclaimed provisional president.

March 1912: Yuan Shikai Becomes President

In March 1912, the presidency was given to Yuan Shikai, a former Qing general.

1912: Abdication of the Last Emperor

In 1912, Puyi, the last Emperor, abdicated, ending the Qing dynasty.

1912: End of the Qing Dynasty

The Qing dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China, ended in 1912.

1915: Yuan Shikai Proclaims Himself Emperor

In 1915, Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself Emperor of China.

1916: Re-establishment of the Republic

In 1916, Yuan Shikai was forced to abdicate and re-establish the republic. After his death in 1916, China was politically fragmented.

1927: Start of the Chinese Civil War

In 1927, the Chinese Civil War began when Kuomintang (KMT) forces purged members of the rival Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

1927: Breakdown of the KMT-CCP Alliance

In 1927, the alliance between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) broke down after Chiang violently suppressed the CCP and other leftists in Shanghai, marking the beginning of the Chinese Civil War.

November 1931: Establishment of the Chinese Soviet Republic

In November 1931, the CCP declared areas of the country as the Chinese Soviet Republic (Jiangxi Soviet) in Ruijin, Jiangxi.

1931: Japan invades Manchuria

In 1931, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria.

1932: First Olympic Games participation

China first participated in the Olympic Games in 1932.

1934: CCP Initiates the Long March

In 1934, the Jiangxi Soviet was wiped out by the KMT armies, leading the CCP to initiate the Long March and relocate to Yan'an in Shaanxi.

1937: Japan invades China

In 1937, Japan invaded other parts of China, precipitating the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).

1937: Invasion by the Empire of Japan

In 1937, the Empire of Japan invaded China, leading to the Second Sino-Japanese War, during which the CCP and KMT formed the Second United Front to combat the Japanese.

1945: Surrender of Japan and handover of Taiwan

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, Taiwan, along with the Penghu, were handed over to Chinese control.

1947: Establishment of Constitutional Rule

Constitutional rule was established in 1947 in China, but many provisions of the ROC constitution were never implemented in mainland China due to ongoing unrest.

October 1949: Proclamation of the People's Republic of China

On October 1949, CCP Chairman Mao Zedong formally proclaimed the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.

1949: Forest Coverage Percentage

According to China's government, the forest coverage of the country was 10% of the overall territory in 1949.

1949: Communists Come to Power

After the Communists came to power in 1949, efforts were made to organize science and technology based on the model of the Soviet Union, in which scientific research was part of central planning.

1949: Communist Control and Establishment of the People's Republic of China

In 1949, the Communists established control over most of the country, proclaiming the People's Republic of China and forcing the Nationalist government to retreat to Taiwan. The country was then split.

1949: Literacy rate in China

In 1949, the literacy rate in China was only 20%.

1949: End of major combat in the Chinese Civil War

Major combat in the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949.

1949: Per capita income compared to world average

When the PRC was founded in 1949, per capita income in China was one-fifth of the world average.

1950: Population Increase

In 1950, the Chinese population was 550 million.

1950: PRC Captures Hainan and Annexes Tibet

In 1950, the PRC captured Hainan from the ROC and annexed Tibet.

1952: PRC Olympic participation

China has only participated as the PRC (People's Republic of China) in the Olympic Games since 1952.

1953: Males accounted for 51.8% of China's population

In 1953, males accounted for 51.8% of the population in China.

1958: Discovery of Erlitou Culture Sites

In 1958, archaeologists discovered sites belonging to the Erlitou culture that existed during the early Bronze Age; they have since been characterized as the remains of the historical Xia.

1958: Start of the Chinese Space Program

The Chinese space program started in 1958 with some technology transfers from the Soviet Union.

1959: The Great Leap Forward

From 1959 to 1961, The Great Leap Forward, resulted in an estimated 15 to 55 million deaths, mostly from starvation.

1961: The Great Leap Forward

From 1959 to 1961, The Great Leap Forward, resulted in an estimated 15 to 55 million deaths, mostly from starvation.

1961: Previous decline in China's population

National Bureau of Statistics estimated that the population in China fell 850,000 from 2021 to 2022, the first decline since 1961.

1964: China detonated its first atomic bomb

In 1964, China detonated its first atomic bomb.

1966: Beginning of the Cultural Revolution

In 1966, Mao and his allies launched the Cultural Revolution, sparking a decade of political recrimination and social upheaval.

1970: Launch of the first satellite

In 1970, China launched the nation's first satellite, the Dong Fang Hong I, which made China the fifth country to do so independently.

October 1971: PRC Replaces ROC in the United Nations

In October 1971, the PRC replaced the ROC in the United Nations, and took its seat as a permanent member of the Security Council.

1971: PRC Replaces ROC in the UN

In 1971, the PRC replaced the ROC as the sole representative of China in the United Nations and as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

1971: UN representative change

In 1971, the UN representative for China was changed from the ROC to the PRC.

1972: Shanghai Communiqué and normalization of relations with the United States

Following the Sino-Soviet split, the Shanghai Communiqué in 1972 precipitated the normalization of relations with the United States.

1974: Population Increase

By 1974, the Chinese population increased to 900 million.

1976: Promotion of Science and Technology

After Mao's death in 1976, science and technology were promoted as one of the Four Modernizations, and the Soviet-inspired academic system was gradually reformed.

1976: End of the Cultural Revolution

The Cultural Revolution lasted until Mao's death in 1976.

1978: Poverty Reduction

Between 1978 and 2018, China reduced extreme poverty by 800 million people.

1978: Deng Xiaoping Takes Power and Starts Reform and Opening Up

Deng Xiaoping took power in 1978, and started the reform and opening up, instituting large-scale political and economic reforms.

1978: Increase in real wages

From 1978 to 2007, real (inflation-adjusted) wages in China grew seven-fold. From 1978 to 2018, the average standard of living multiplied by a factor of twenty-six.

1978: Economic reforms begin

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping began economic reforms in China, leading to rapid improvements in public health due to better nutrition. However, many free public health services in rural areas disappeared.

1978: Start of economic reforms

Since economic reforms began in 1978, China has developed into a highly diversified economy and one of the most consequential players in international trade.

1978: Introduction of reform and opening up policy

Since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy in 1978, China's economic growth has been almost consistently above 6 percent. According to the World Bank, China's GDP grew from $150 billion in 1978 to $17.96 trillion by 2022.

1979: Literacy rate increases

By 1979, the literacy rate in China had grown to 65.5% of the population.

1979: China begins advocating for one-child policy

In 1979, China began to advocate for an even stricter limit of one child per family.

1979: Environmental Protection Law Enacted

In 1979, the Environmental Protection Law was enacted in China.

1980: 20% of China's population living in urban areas

In 1980, 20% of China's population lived in urban areas.

December 1982: Adoption of Current Constitution

China adopted its current constitution on December 4, 1982.

1989: Tiananmen Square protests and massacre

In 1989, a movement for increased democracy and liberalization stalled after the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests and Jiang Zemin's Ascension

In 1989, protests, including those in Tiananmen Square, occurred throughout China. Jiang Zemin was elevated to CCP general secretary and became the paramount leader.

1990: Asian Games in Beijing

China hosted the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990.

1990: Poverty Rate Reduction

From 1990 to 2018, the proportion of the Chinese population living with an income of less than $1.90 per day (2011 PPP) decreased from 66.3% to 0.3%.

1990: Air travel expands in China

In 1990, air travel in China started expanding rapidly, with the number of passengers increasing from 16.6 million.

1990: Stunting rates in China

In 1990, stunting rates in China were at 33.1%.

1997: Return of Hong Kong

In 1997, British Hong Kong returned to China as a special administrative region under the principle of one country, two systems.

1999: Return of Macau

In 1999, Portuguese Macau returned to China as a special administrative region under the principle of one country, two systems.

2000: Growth of rapid transit systems accelerates

Since 2000, the growth of rapid transit systems in Chinese cities has accelerated.

2001: WTO Membership

China has been a member of the WTO since 2001.

2001: China joins the World Trade Organization

In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization.

2002: Hu Jintao Succeeds Jiang Zemin

In 2002, at the 16th CCP National Congress, Hu Jintao succeeded Jiang Zemin as the general secretary.

2003: Annual education investment in China

Annual education investment in China went from less than US$50 billion in 2003.

2003: First Human Spaceflight

In 2003, China became the third country in the world to independently send humans into space with Yang Liwei's spaceflight aboard Shenzhou 5.

2003: SARS outbreak

In 2003, China experienced an outbreak of SARS, which has since been largely contained.

2003: Harvard University Survey Commencement

Since 2003, Harvard University survey found that citizen satisfaction with the government had increased in China, also rating China's government as more effective and capable than ever in the survey's history as of July 2020.

2005: Nature Reserves in China

As of 2005, China has over 2,349 nature reserves, covering a total area of 149.95 million hectares, which is 15 percent of China's total land area.

December 2006: Baiji Confirmed Extinct

The Baiji was confirmed extinct on 12 December 2006.

2006: China's railways handle a quarter of the world's rail traffic volume

In 2006, China's railways handled a quarter of the world's rail traffic volume on only 6 percent of the world's tracks.

2007: Increase in real wages

From 1978 to 2007, real (inflation-adjusted) wages in China grew seven-fold.

June 2008: Laogai Research Foundation Estimate

In June 2008, the Laogai Research Foundation estimated that there were nearly 1,422 reform through labor (laogai) facilities in China, including labor prison factories, detention centers, and re-education camps. However, it cautioned that this number was likely an underestimate.

2008: Beijing Summer Olympics

China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where its athletes received 48 gold medals, the highest number of any participating nation that year.

2008: Private businesses recorded

In 2008, around 30 million private businesses were recorded in China. According to official statistics, privately owned companies constitute more than 60% of China's GDP.

2009: Government healthcare initiative

In 2009, the Chinese government launched a three-year, large-scale healthcare provision initiative valued at US$124 billion.

2010: Average population growth rate between 2010 and 2020

Between 2010 and 2020, the average population growth rate in China was 0.53%.

2010: Asian Games in Guangzhou

China hosted the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010.

2010: Compared with the 2010 population census

Compared with the 2010 population census, the Han population increased by 60,378,693 persons, or 4.93%, while the population of the 55 national minorities combined increased by 11,675,179 persons, or 10.26%.

2010: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Received

In 2010, China's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan was received by the Convention on Biological Diversity.

2010: Economic Complexity Index Ranking

In 2010, Harvard University's Economic Complexity Index ranked complexity of China's exports 24th in the world, up to 16th in 2023.

2010: Air pollution deaths

In 2010, air pollution caused 1.2 million premature deaths in China.

2010: Education expenditure inequality in China

In 2010, the annual education expenditure per secondary school student in Beijing totalled ¥20,023, while in Guizhou it only totalled ¥3,204.

2010: Largest Manufacturing Nation

Since 2010, China has been the world's largest manufacturing nation, after overtaking the U.S., which had been the largest for the previous hundred years.

2011: Basic health insurance coverage

By 2011, 95% of China's population had basic health insurance coverage as a result of the government's healthcare provision initiative.

2011: Poverty Level

From 1990 to 2018, the proportion of the Chinese population living with an income of less than $1.90 per day (2011 PPP) decreased from 66.3% to 0.3%.

2011: Launch of the first space station testbed

In 2011, China launched its first space station testbed, Tiangong-1.

2011: Summer Universiade in Shenzhen

In 2011, Shenzhen hosted the 2011 Summer Universiade.

November 2012: Xi Jinping Takes Office

Xi Jinping took office as the general secretary of the CCP on 15 November 2012.

2012: SIPRI Military Spending Average Start

According to SIPRI, China's military spending from 2012 to 2021 averaged US$215 billion per year.

2012: Number of bicycles in China

As of 2012, China had an estimated 470 million bicycles.

2012: Summer Paralympics

China won the most medals at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, with 231 overall, including 95 gold.

2012: BeiDou offers commercial navigation services across Asia

In 2012, China's satellite navigation system, BeiDou, began offering commercial navigation services across Asia.

2012: Mo Yan wins Nobel Prize

In 2012, Mo Yan, a xungen literature author, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

2012: Xi Jinping Becomes Paramount Leader

In 2012, Xi Jinping succeeded Hu Jintao as paramount leader at the 18th CCP National Congress and subsequently launched an anti-corruption crackdown.

2012: Second-largest in high-tech manufacturing

Since 2012, China has also been the second-largest in high-tech manufacturing country, according to US National Science Foundation.

December 2013: China loosens one-child policy

In December 2013, China loosened the one-child policy, allowing families to have two children if one parent is an only child.

2013: Largest Trading Nation

China became the world's largest trading nation in 2013 by the sum of imports and exports, as well as the world's largest commodity importer.

2013: East Asian Games in Tianjin

China hosted the 2013 East Asian Games in Tianjin.

2013: Initiation of Belt and Road Initiative

In 2013, China initiated the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a large global infrastructure building initiative.

2013: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2013, China ranked 35th in the Global Innovation Index, a considerable improvement to 11th in 2024.

2013: Lunar Landing of Yutu

In 2013, a Chinese robotic rover, Yutu, successfully touched down on the lunar surface as part of the Chang'e 3 mission.

2013: Abolishment of re-education through labor system

In 2013, the state-imposed re-education through labor (laojiao) system was formally abolished in China, though it is not clear to what extent its practices have stopped.

2014: Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing

China hosted the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, becoming the first country to host both regular and Youth Olympics.

2015: China's "1.5"-child policy

From the mid-1980s to 2015, China began to allow some major exemptions in rural areas, resulting in what was actually a "1.5"-child policy.

2015: 77% of rural households had access to basic sanitation

In 2015, 77% of rural households in China had access to basic sanitation.

2015: Largest Middle-Class Population

Since 2015, China has had the world's largest middle-class population; the middle-class grew to 500 million by 2024.

2016: Largest Trading Partner

By 2016, China was the largest trading partner of 124 countries.

2016: Largest Publisher of Scientific Papers

In 2016, China's academic publication apparatus became the world's largest publisher of scientific papers.

2016: Global Slavery Index Estimate

In 2016, The Global Slavery Index estimated that more than 3.8 million people in China were living in "conditions of modern slavery", including victims of human trafficking, forced labor, forced marriage, child labor, and state-imposed forced labor.

2016: China replaces one-child policy with two-child policy

In 2016, the one-child policy was replaced in favor of a two-child policy in China.

2016: Largest number of movie screens

Since 2016, China has had the largest number of movie screens in the world.

2017: Wolf Warrior 2 Release

As of 2025, Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) was the third-highest-grossing film in China.

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2017: 551.2 million air passengers in China

By 2017, the number of air passengers in China had increased to 551.2 million.

2017: Pharmaceutical Ingredients production

In 2017, China produced around 40 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

2017: Pew Research Center Ranking

In 2017, the Pew Research Center ranked the severity of Chinese government restrictions on religion as being among the world's highest, despite ranking religious-related social hostilities in China as low in severity.

2017: Crackdown in Xinjiang Begins

Since 2017, the Chinese government has been engaged in a harsh crackdown in Xinjiang, with around one million Uyghurs and other ethnic and religion minorities being detained in internment camps.

2018: Poverty Reduction

Between 1978 and 2018, China reduced extreme poverty by 800 million people.

2018: China had more than 1 billion 4G users

By 2018, China had more than 1 billion 4G users, accounting for 40% of the world's total, and had started large-scale and commercial 5G trials by late 2018.

2018: BeiDou offers global services

By the end of 2018, China's BeiDou navigation system started providing global services, becoming the third completed global navigation satellite system, after GPS and GLONASS.

2018: Increase in average standard of living

From 1978 to 2018, the average standard of living in China multiplied by a factor of twenty-six.

2018: Mobile and Internet providers in China

In 2018, China Telecom served more than 145 million broadband subscribers and 300 million mobile users. China Unicom had about 300 million subscribers, and China Mobile had 925 million users, making them the three large providers of mobile and internet in China.

2018: Fourth-most-visited country

In 2018, China was the fourth-most-visited country in the world.

2018: Top three airlines in China made up 71% of the market

In 2018, the top three airlines in China, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, collectively made up 71% of the market and are all state-owned.

December 2019: COVID-19 identified

In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic was first identified in Wuhan, China.

2019: Landing a probe on the far side of the Moon

In 2019, China became the first country to land a probe—Chang'e 4—on the far side of the Moon.

2019: Highest number of people with net personal wealth

In 2019, China overtook the U.S. as the home to the highest number of people who have a net personal wealth of at least $110,000, according to the global wealth report by Credit Suisse.

2019: International Visitors

In 2019, China received 65.7 million international visitors and Chinese tourists made an estimated 6 billion travels within the country.

2019: Patent Applications

In 2019, China received more applications than the U.S. did, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators.

April 2020: Belt and Road Initiative Expansion

As of April 2020, the Belt and Road Initiative included 138 countries and 30 international organizations.

July 2020: Harvard University Survey

In July 2020, a Harvard University survey found that citizen satisfaction with the Chinese government had increased since 2003, also rating China's government as more effective and capable than ever in the survey's history.

October 2020: Stock Exchange Market Capitalization

As of October 2020, China has three out of the ten largest stock exchanges in the world—Shanghai, Hong Kong and Shenzhen—that together have a market capitalization of over $15.9 trillion.

2020: Foreign Policy Report on Uyghur Treatment

According to a 2020 Foreign Policy report, China's treatment of Uyghurs meets the UN definition of genocide. The Chinese authorities have also cracked down on dissent in Hong Kong, especially after the passage of a national security law in 2020.

2020: Ethnic minorities account for less than 10% of China's population

According to the 2020 census, ethnic minorities accounted for less than 10% of the population of China, and the 2020 census recorded a total of 845,697 foreign nationals living in mainland China.

2020: China boasts the five longest metro systems

As of 2020, China boasts the five longest metro systems in the world, including the networks in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen.

2020: Annual education investment reaches over US$817 billion

By 2020, annual education investment in China reached more than US$817 billion, and literacy rate reached 97%.

2020: Returning Moon samples to Earth

In 2020, Chang'e 5 successfully returned Moon samples to the Earth, making China the third country to do so independently.

2020: Largest cinema market

In 2020, China became the largest cinema market in the world.

2020: Carbon Neutrality Aims

In 2020, the Chinese government announced its aims to reach peak emissions levels before 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 in line with the Paris Agreement.

2020: Pew Research Center Ranking

In 2020, the Pew Research Center ranked the severity of Chinese government restrictions on religion as being among the world's highest, despite ranking religious-related social hostilities in China as low in severity.

2020: 2020 Chinese census recorded the population as approximately 1,411,778,724

The 2020 Chinese census recorded the population as approximately 1,411,778,724. About 17.95% were 14 years old or younger, 63.35% were between 15 and 59 years old, and 18.7% were over 60 years old.

2020: Males account for 51.2% of China's population

The 2020 census found that males accounted for 51.2% of the total population in China.

2020: 2020 census figures

The figures in the table are from the 2020 census, and are only estimates of the urban populations within administrative city limits; a different ranking exists for total municipal populations.

January 2021: Number of Female Billionaires

As of January 2021, China had 85 female billionaires, two-thirds of the global total.

May 2021: China announces three-child policy

On 31 May 2021, China announced a three-child policy due to population aging.

July 2021: China removes all family size limits and penalties

In July 2021, China removed all family size limits as well as penalties for exceeding them.

2021: SIPRI Military Spending Average End

According to SIPRI, China's military spending from 2012 to 2021 averaged US$215 billion per year.

2021: The Battle at Lake Changjin Release

As of 2025, The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) was the second-highest-grossing film in China.

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2021: Land Usage Statistics

In 2021, 12 percent of global permanent meadows and pastures belonged to China, as well as 8% of global cropland.

2021: Landing a spacecraft on Mars

In 2021, China became the third country to land a spacecraft on Mars and the second one to deploy a rover (Zhurong) on Mars.

2021: E-commerce Global Market Share

In 2021, China leads the world in e-commerce, accounting for over 37% of the global market share.

2021: Ranked first globally

In 2021, China ranked first globally in patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, and creative goods exports, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators.

2021: Gini Coefficient

In 2021, China's Gini coefficient was 0.357, indicating a decrease in income inequality in the 2010s.

2021: Foreign Exchange Remittances

In 2021, China's foreign exchange remittances were $US53 billion making it the second-largest recipient of remittances in the world.

November 2022: Completion of the Tiangong space station

On 3 November 2022, China completed its own modular space station, the Tiangong, in low Earth orbit. On 29 November 2022, China performed its first in-orbit crew handover aboard the Tiangong.

December 2022: End of strict COVID-19 measures

In December 2022, China abandoned its strict public health measures aimed at eradicating COVID-19 after public protests.

2022: 93% of rural households had access to basic sanitation

According to the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation, 93% of rural households in China had access to basic sanitation in 2022.

2022: World Values Survey

According to the World Values Survey in 2022, 91% of Chinese respondents expressed significant confidence in their government.

2022: China's share of the global economy

As of 2022, China accounts for around 18% of the global economy by nominal GDP. According to the World Bank, China's GDP grew from $150 billion in 1978 to $17.96 trillion by 2022.

2022: Electric Vehicle Consumption and Production

As of 2022, China is the world's leader in electric vehicle consumption and production, manufacturing and buying half of all the plug-in electric cars (BEV and PHEV) in the world. China is also the leading producer of batteries for electric vehicles as well as several key raw materials for batteries.

2022: Beijing Winter Olympics

Beijing and Zhangjiakou collaboratively hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, making Beijing the first dual Olympic city by holding both the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics.

2022: China as a pharmaceutical producer

By 2022, China had become a major producer and exporter of pharmaceuticals.

2022: Officials Prosecuted in Anti-Corruption Crackdown

By 2022, more than 2 million officials had been prosecuted in the anti-corruption crackdown launched by Xi Jinping.

2022: GHG Emission Levels

In 2022 GHG emissions of China are at their current levels.

2022: China's share of the world's total wealth

In 2022, China accounted for 18.6% of the world's total wealth, second highest in the world after the U.S.

2022: Investment in Renewable Energy

In 2022, China invested $546 billion in renewable energy and its commercialization, being the world's leading investor.

2022: Overtook US in Nature Index

In 2022, China overtook the US in the Nature Index, which measures the share of published articles in leading scientific journals.

2022: Foreign Direct Investment

In 2022, China was amongst the world's largest recipient of inward foreign direct investment (FDI), attracting $180 billion, though most of these were speculated to be from Hong Kong.

2022: China's highways reach 177,000 km

In 2022, China's highways had reached a total length of 177,000 km (110,000 mi), making it the longest highway system in the world.

2022: China's population decline estimated

In 2023, National Bureau of Statistics estimated that the population in China fell 850,000 from 2021 to 2022, the first decline since 1961.

February 2023: China has largest number of active cellphones

As of February 2023, China had the largest telecom market in the world and the largest number of active cellphones, with over 1.7 billion subscribers.

May 2023: China announces plan to land humans on the Moon by 2030

In May 2023, China announced its plan to land humans on the Moon by 2030, involving the development of the Long March 10 super-heavy launcher, a new crewed spacecraft, and a crewed lunar lander.

December 2023: 55 Chinese cities have urban mass transit systems

As of December 2023, 55 Chinese cities have urban mass transit systems in operation.

December 2023: China has over 810 million 5G users

As of December 2023, China had over 810 million 5G users and 3.38 million base stations installed.

2023: China is the world's largest exporter of cars

As of 2023, China is the world's largest exporter of cars by number. Also in 2023, there were approximately 200 million bicycles in China.

2023: Number of Chinese Nationals in Space

As of 2023, eighteen Chinese nationals have journeyed into space, including two women.

2023: Infant mortality rate

As of 2023, the infant mortality rate in China is 5 per thousand.

2023: Renminbi as traded currency

As of 2023, the renminbi is a component of the IMF's special drawing rights and the world's fourth-most traded currency.

2023: Asian Games in Hangzhou

China hosted the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023.

2023: Outward Foreign Direct Investment

In 2023, China had a total outward FDI of $147.9 billion, and a number of major takeovers of foreign firms by Chinese companies.

2023: Education statistics in China

In 2023, China had about 287 million students and 18.85 million full-time teachers in over 470,300 schools.

2023: Economic Complexity Index Ranking

In 2023, Harvard University's Economic Complexity Index ranked complexity of China's exports 16th in the world.

2023: Religious affiliation statistics in China

In 2023, according to surveys done by Pew Research, 93% of respondents in China were formally unaffiliated with any religion. However, in terms of practices, 75% visit family graveyards each year, 47% believe in feng shui, 33% believe in buddha, 26% burn incense to deities each year and 18% believe in taoist deities.

2023: Water Quality Assessment

In 2023, only 89.4% of China's national surface water was graded suitable for human consumption by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

2023: China's fertility rate is among the lowest

In 2023, the total fertility rate in China was reported to be 1.09, ranking among the lowest in the world. Also in 2023, National Bureau of Statistics estimated that the population fell 850,000 from 2021 to 2022, the first decline since 1961.

March 2024: Number of Billionaires and Millionaires

In March 2024, China ranked second in the world, after the U.S., in total number of billionaires and total number of millionaires, with 473 Chinese billionaires and 6.2 million millionaires.

March 2024: Foreign Exchange Reserves

As of March 2024, China's foreign exchange reserves reached US$3.246 trillion, making its reserves by far the world's largest.

May 2024: Chang'e 6 conducts lunar sample return

In May 2024, China's Chang'e 6 successfully conducted the first lunar sample return from the far side of the Moon, specifically from the Apollo Basin. The mission also included deploying a Chinese rover named Jinchan for infrared spectroscopy and imaging of the lander.

December 2024: China has largest number of internet and broadband users

As of December 2024, China has the largest number of internet and broadband users in the world, with over 1.1 billion users, which is equivalent to around 78.6% of its population.

2024: Forest Coverage Percentage

According to China's government, the forest coverage of the country grew from 10% of the overall territory in 1949 to 25% in 2024.

2024: Global Financial Centres Index

According to the 2024 Global Financial Centres Index, China has three out of the world's ten most competitive financial centers: Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen.

2024: China's higher education system

As of 2024, China boasts over 3,117 universities and has the largest higher education system in the world, enrolling over 47.6 million students in mainland China. In 2024, China trails only the United States and the United Kingdom in terms of representation on lists of the top 200 universities.

2024: Diplomatic Network Size

As of 2024, China has one of the largest diplomatic networks of any country in the world.

2024: Life expectancy and stunting rates

As of 2024, the life expectancy at birth in China exceeds 79 years, and the stunting rate (caused by malnutrition) has declined to 4.5%.

2024: Equity and Futures Markets

As of at least 2024, China has the world's second-largest equity markets and futures markets, as well as the third-largest bond market.

2024: Over 67% of China's population living in urban areas

By 2024, over 67% of China's population lived in urban areas, including 18 megacities with populations over 10 million.

2024: China's high speed rail reaches 48,000 kilometers

By the end of 2024, high speed rail in China had reached 48,000 kilometers (29,826 miles) of dedicated lines, making it the longest HSR network in the world, with an annual ridership of over 3.3 billion passengers in 2024.

2024: Democracy Index Ranking

China was ranked 145th out of 167 countries as an "authoritarian regime" by the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index in 2024.

2024: Energy Sources in China

In 2024, 58.2% of China's electricity came from coal, 13.5% from hydroelectric power, 9.8% from wind, 8.3% from solar energy, 4.4% from nuclear energy, 3% from natural gas, and 2.1% from bioenergy.

2024: China had approximately 259 airports

In 2024, China had approximately 259 airports.

2024: R&D Spending and Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, China officially spent around 2.7% of its GDP on R&D, totaling to around $496 billion, and was ranked 11th in the Global Innovation Index, a considerable improvement from its rank of 35th in 2013.

2024: PLA Structure and Budget

Since 2024, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) consists of four services and four independent arms. China's official military budget for 2024 totalled US$229 billion.

2025: Number of top universities in China

As of 2025, China had the world's highest number of top universities.

2025: Ne Zha 2 release

As of 2025, Ne Zha 2 (2025) was the highest-grossing film in China.

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2025: Projected Peak in GHG Emissions

With current policies, the GHG emissions of China will probably peak in 2025.

2030: Planned human landing on the Moon

By 2030, China plans to land humans on the Moon, using the Long March 10 launcher, a new crewed spacecraft, and a crewed lunar lander.

2030: Projected Return to 2022 Emission Levels

By 2030, GHG emissions in China are projected to return to 2022 levels.

2030: Target for Peak Emissions

The Chinese government announced its aims in 2020 to reach peak emissions levels before 2030.

2045: Target Date for Phasing Out Coal Electricity

According to academics, electricity generation from coal in China without carbon capture must be phased out by 2045 to limit climate change to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F).