History of China in Timeline

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is located in East Asia. It holds the world's second-largest population exceeding 1.4 billion people and is the third-largest country by land area. China borders fourteen countries and is divided into 33 province-level divisions, including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions. Beijing serves as its capital, while Shanghai is the most populous city and a major financial center.

1901: Boxer Rebellion weakened the dynasty

In 1901, the anti-foreign Boxer Rebellion further weakened the Qing dynasty.

1905: First Chinese film released

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

Loading Video...

1911: 1911 Revolution

In 1911, the 1911 Revolution overthrew the Qing dynasty and the monarchy.

January 1912: Establishment of the Republic of China

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

March 1912: Presidency given to Yuan Shikai

In March 1912, the presidency of the Republic of China was given to Yuan Shikai.

1912: Abdication of the last Emperor

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

1912: End of Qing Dynasty

In 1912, the Qing dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China, came to an end.

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 facing condemnation and opposition.

1927: Beginning of Chinese Civil War

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

1927: Breakdown of KMT-CCP Alliance

In 1927, the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) alliance broke down after Chiang Kai-shek suppressed the CCP in Shanghai.

November 1931: Declaration 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 invaded and occupied Manchuria

In 1931, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria.

1932: First participation in the Olympic Games

In 1932, China first participated in the Olympic Games.

1934: The Long March

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

1937: Invasion by the Empire of Japan

In 1937, China was invaded by the Empire of Japan, leading the CCP and KMT to form the Second United Front.

1937: Japan invaded other parts of China

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

1945: Surrender of Japan

In 1945, after the surrender of Japan, Taiwan and the Penghu were handed over to Chinese control.

1947: Establishment of constitutional rule

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

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

On October 1, 1949, CCP Chairman Mao Zedong formally proclaimed the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.

1949: Forest coverage of the country

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

1949: Literacy rate

In 1949, China's literacy rate was only 20%.

1949: Establishment of the People's Republic of China

In 1949, the Communists established control over most of China, proclaiming the People's Republic of China, and the Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan.

1949: End of Chinese Civil War (major combat)

In 1949, the major combat in the Chinese Civil War ended.

1950: Chinese population increase

In 1950, the Chinese population was 550 million.

1950: PRC captured Hainan and annexed Tibet

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

1952: Participation as the PRC in the Olympic Games

Since 1952, China has participated as the PRC in the Olympic Games.

1953: Males accounted for 51.8% of the 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.

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: First decline since 1961

In 2023, National Bureau of Statistics estimated that the population 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: Launch of the Cultural Revolution

In 1966, Mao and his allies launched the Cultural Revolution.

October 1971: PRC replaced 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 replaced the ROC in the UN

In 1971, the PRC replaced the Republic of China (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 Representation Change

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

1972: Shanghai Communiqué

In 1972, the Shanghai Communiqué precipitated the normalization of relations between China and the United States.

1974: Chinese population increase

In 1974, the Chinese population was 900 million.

1976: Death of Mao Zedong

In 1976, Mao Zedong died, ending the Cultural Revolution.

1978: Institution of economic reforms

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping began instituting economic reforms.

1978: Deng Xiaoping took power

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping took power and instituted large-scale political and economic reforms.

1978: Economic Reforms Begin

In 1978, economic reforms began, shifting China away from a socialist planned economy towards a capitalist market economy.

1979: Advocating for one child per family

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

1979: Literacy rate grows to 65.5%

In 1979, China's literacy rate grew to 65.5%.

1979: Environmental Protection Law

Regulations such as the 1979 Environmental Protection Law are fairly stringent, though they are poorly enforced, frequently disregarded in favor of rapid economic development.

1980: 20% of the population living in urban areas

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

December 1982: Adoption of Current Constitution

On December 4, 1982, China adopted its current constitution.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests

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

1989: Protests in Tiananmen Square

In 1989, there were protests such those in Tiananmen Square.

1990: Asian Games in Beijing

In 1990, China hosted the Asian Games in Beijing.

1990: Stunting rate at 33.1%

In 1990, rates of stunting in China, a condition caused by malnutrition, were at 33.1%.

1990: Number of passengers

In 1990, the number of air passengers in China was 16.6 million.

1997: Return of Hong Kong to China

In 1997, British Hong Kong returned to China as a special administrative region.

1999: Return of Macau to China

In 1999, Portuguese Macau returned to China as a special administrative region.

2000: Growth of rapid transit systems

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

2001: China joined the World Trade Organization

In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization.

2002: Hu Jintao succeeded Jiang

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

2003: SARS outbreak

In 2003, China experienced a serious outbreak of SARS.

2003: Annual education investment

In China, annual education investment went from less than US$50 billion in 2003.

2005: Nature reserves

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

December 2006: Baiji Confirmed Extinct

The Baiji, a species of freshwater dolphin native to China, was confirmed extinct on December 12, 2006.

2006: Busiest railways in the world

In 2006, China's railways were among the busiest in the world, handling a quarter of the world's rail traffic volume on only 6 percent of the world's tracks.

June 2008: Estimate of labor prison facilities

The Laogai Research Foundation estimated in June 2008 that there were nearly 1,422 labor prison facilities.

2008: Beijing hosted Summer Olympics

In 2008, China hosted the Summer Olympics in Beijing, with its athletes receiving 48 gold medals.

2009: Large-scale healthcare provision initiative

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

2010: Average population growth rate

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

2010: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan received

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

2010: Increase in minority population

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: Asian Games in Guangzhou

In 2010, China hosted the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

2010: Air pollution deaths and stunting rate

In 2010, air pollution caused 1.2 million premature deaths in China, and the stunting rate was at 9.9%.

2010: Inequality in education spending

In 2010, there was an inequality in education spending in China. The annual education expenditure per secondary school student in Beijing totalled ¥20,023, while in Guizhou, one of the poorest provinces, it only totalled ¥3,204.

2011: 95% of population having basic health insurance

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

2011: Shenzhen hosted Summer Universiade

In 2011, Shenzhen hosted the 2011 Summer Universiade.

November 2012: Xi Jinping took office

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

2012: SIPRI military spending average

According to SIPRI, from 2012 to 2021, China's military spending averaged US$215 billion per year or 1.7 per cent of GDP.

2012: 470 million bicycles

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

2012: Most medals at Summer Paralympics

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

2012: BeiDou offers commercial navigation services across Asia

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

2012: Mo Yan wins Nobel Prize in Literature

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

2012: Xi Jinping became paramount leader

In 2012, at the 18th CCP National Congress, Xi Jinping succeeded Hu as paramount leader.

December 2013: Loosening of the one-child policy

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

2013: East Asian Games in Tianjin

In 2013, China hosted the East Asian Games in Tianjin.

2013: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

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

2013: Abolished re-education through labor

The state-imposed re-education through labor (laojiao) system was formally abolished in 2013.

2014: Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing

In 2014, China hosted the Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing.

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

According to the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation, 77% of rural households in China had access to basic sanitation in 2015.

2015: "1.5"-child policy

From the mid-1980s to 2015, China had what was actually a "1.5"-child policy.

2016: Renewable energy share

China's adaptation of renewable energy has increased significantly in recent years, with their share increasing from 26.3 percent in 2016 to 31.9 percent in 2022.

2016: Replacement of one-child policy

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

2016: Largest number of movie screens

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

2016: Modern slavery

The Global Slavery Index estimated that in 2016 more than 3.8 million people were living in "conditions of modern slavery".

2017: Restrictions on religion

In 2017 and 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.

2017: Pharmaceutical ingredient production

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

2017: Wolf Warrior 2 film release

In 2017, Wolf Warrior 2 was released.

Loading Video...

2017: Number of passengers increases to 551.2 million

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

2017: Crackdown in Xinjiang

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: More than 1 billion 4G users

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

2018: BeiDou offers global services

By the end of 2018, China's BeiDou satellite navigation system began offering global services.

2018: Mobile and internet providers in China

In 2018, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom were the three large providers of mobile and internet in China. China Telecom alone 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. Combined, the three operators had over 3.4 million 4G base-stations in China.

2018: Market share of top three airlines

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

December 2019: COVID-19 pandemic identified

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

2019: World's busiest high-speed rail

In 2019, China's high-speed rail had an annual ridership of over 2.3 billion passengers, making it the world's busiest.

April 2020: Belt and Road Initiative countries

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

2020: Longest metro systems in the world

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

2020: Ethnic minorities account for less than 10% of the population

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

2020: Restrictions on religion

2020: Largest cinema market

In 2020, China became the largest cinema market.

2020: National security law in Hong Kong and reports on Uyghur treatment

In 2020, Chinese authorities cracked down on dissent in Hong Kong after the passage of a national security law. Also in 2020, a Foreign Policy report suggested that China's treatment of Uyghurs meets the UN definition of genocide.

2020: Annual education investment more than US$817 billion

In 2020, annual education investment in China totalled more than US$817 billion and the literacy rate was 97% of the population over age 15.

2020: Aims for peak emissions levels

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

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, with 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 accounted for 51.2% of the total population

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

2020: Estimates of the urban populations within administrative city limits

The figures in the table are from the 2020 census, and are only estimates of the urban populations within administrative city limits.

May 2021: Announcement of three-child policy

A three-child policy was announced in China on 31 May 2021, due to population aging.

July 2021: Removal of family size limits and penalties

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

2021: SIPRI military spending average

According to SIPRI, from 2012 to 2021, China's military spending averaged US$215 billion per year or 1.7 per cent of GDP.

2021: Infant mortality rate at 5 per thousand

As of 2021, the infant mortality rate in China is 5 per thousand.

2021: Global land share

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

2021: The Battle at Lake Changjin film release

In 2021, The Battle at Lake Changjin was released.

Loading Video...

December 2022: End of strict COVID-19 measures

In December 2022, the Chinese government abandoned its strict public health measures intended to completely eradicate COVID-19, following 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: China as key pharmaceutical exporter

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

2022: Anti-Corruption Crackdown

By 2022, during Xi Jinping's tenure, a vast anti-corruption crackdown had prosecuted more than 2 million officials.

2022: GHG emissions levels

By 2030, China's GHG emissions are projected to return to 2022 levels, although this trajectory still leads to a three-degree temperature rise.

2022: Investment in renewable energy

China invested $546 billion in renewable energy in 2022, and its share of renewable energy increased from 26.3 percent in 2016 to 31.9 percent in 2022. China has also been the largest importer of Russian crude oil in 2022.

2022: Beijing hosted Winter Olympics

In 2022, Beijing and Zhangjiakou collaboratively hosted the Winter Olympics, making Beijing the first dual Olympic city.

2022: China's Highways Reach 177,000 km

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

2022: First population decline since 1961

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

February 2023: Largest number of active cellphones

As of February 2023, China had the largest number of active cellphones of any country, with over 1.7 billion subscribers.

December 2023: Over 810 million 5G users

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

December 2023: High speed rail reaches 45,000 kilometers

By the end of 2023, high speed rail in China had reached 45,000 kilometers of dedicated lines alone, making it the longest HSR network in the world. Also as of December 2023, 55 Chinese cities have urban mass transit systems in operation.

2023: Religious beliefs

According to studies published in 2023, compiling demographic analyses conducted throughout the 2010s and the early 2020s, 70% of the Chinese population believed in or practiced Chinese folk religion—among them, with an approach of non-exclusivity, 33.4% may be identified as Buddhists, 19.6% as Taoists, and 17.7% as adherents of other types of folk religion. Of the remaining population, 25.2% are fully non-believers or atheists, 2.5% are adherents of Christianity, and 1.6% are adherents of Islam.

2023: Largest higher education system

As of 2023, China has over 3,074 universities, with over 47.6 million students enrolled in mainland China, giving China the largest higher education system in the world. As of 2023, China had the world's highest number of top universities.

2023: World's Largest Exporter of Cars

As of 2023, China is the world's largest exporter of cars by number. Also, in urban areas, bicycles remain a common mode of transport, with approximately 200 million bicycles in China.

2023: Life expectancy exceeds 78 years

As of 2023, the life expectancy at birth in China exceeds 78 years.

2023: Electricity sources

In 2023, 60.5% of China's electricity came from coal (largest producer in the world), 13.2% from hydroelectric power (largest), 9.4% from wind (largest), 6.2% from solar energy (largest), 4.6% from nuclear energy (second-largest), 3.3% from natural gas (fifth-largest), and 2.2% from bioenergy (largest); in total, 31% of China's energy came from renewable energy sources.

2023: Asian Games in Hangzhou

In 2023, China hosted the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

2023: Education Statistics

In 2023, about 91.8 percent of students continued their education at a three-year senior secondary school, while 60.2 percent of secondary school graduates were enrolled in higher education in China.

2023: World Food and Agriculture

In 2023, data from World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook was used.

2023: Water graded suitable for human consumption

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: Total fertility rate reported to be 1.09

In 2023, the total fertility rate in China was reported to be 1.09, ranking among the lowest in the world.

December 2024: Largest number of internet and broadband users

As of December 2024, China had the largest number of internet and broadband users, with over 1.1 billion Internet users, equivalent to around 78.6% of its population.

2024: Forest coverage of the country

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: Largest diplomatic networks

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

2024: Over 67% of the population living in urban areas

By 2024, over 67% of China's population lived in urban areas and the country had over 160 cities with a population of over one million, including 18 megacities.

2024: Approximately 259 airports in China

China had approximately 259 airports in 2024.

2024: Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index ranking

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

2024: PLA services 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: Ne Zha 2 top grossing film

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

Loading Video...

2025: Peak in GHG emissions

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

2030: Return to 2022 emissions levels

By 2030, China's GHG emissions are projected to return to 2022 levels, although this trajectory still leads to a three-degree temperature rise.

2045: Phase out electricity generation from coal

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

2060: Achieve carbon neutrality

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