History of China in Timeline

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is located in East Asia. It is the second-most populous country with over 1.4 billion people, representing 17.4% of the global population. Spanning five time zones and bordering fourteen countries, China is the second-largest country by land area at nearly 9.6 million square kilometers. Administratively, it's divided into 33 province-level divisions, including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions. Beijing serves as the capital, while Shanghai is the most populous city and a major financial hub.

1901: Boxer Rebellion

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

1905: First Chinese Film

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

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1911: Xinhai Revolution

In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution occurred.

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: End of Qing Dynasty

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

1912: End of Qing Dynasty and Abdication of Puyi

In 1912, the Xinhai Revolution of 1911-1912 ended the Qing dynasty and established the Republic of China. Puyi, the last Emperor, abdicated 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 facing condemnation and opposition.

1927: Start of Chinese Civil War

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

1927: Alliance Breaks Down

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

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: Olympic Games Participation

In 1932, China first participated in the Olympic Games.

1934: 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: Invasion by Japan

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

1945: Surrender of Japan

In 1945, after the surrender of Japan, Taiwan, along with 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 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

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: Communist Takeover

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: End of Major Combat

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

1949: PRC Founding Income

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 at 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

In 1952, China participated in the Olympic Games as the PRC (People's Republic of China).

1953: Male Population

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

1958: Erlitou Culture Sites Discovered

In 1958, archaeologists discovered sites belonging to the Erlitou culture that existed during the early Bronze Age.

1958: Start of Chinese Space Program

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

1959: Start of Great Leap Forward

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

1961: End of Great Leap Forward

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

1961: Population Decline

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

1964: China Detonates First Atomic Bomb

In 1964, China detonated its first atomic bomb.

1966: Start 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 First Satellite

In 1970, China launched the nation's first satellite, 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 Republic of China (ROC) as the sole representative of China in the United Nations.

1971: UN Seat Change

In 1971, the UN representative for China was changed from the Republic of China (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

1972: Shanghai Communiqué

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

1974: Population Increase

In 1974, the Chinese population was at 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

In 1976, Mao's death marked the end of the Cultural Revolution.

1978: Poverty Reduction Efforts Started

Between 1978 and 2018, China reduced extreme poverty by 800 million, bringing more people out of extreme poverty than any other country in history.

1978: Increase in Standard of Living and Wages

From 1978 to 2018, the average standard of living multiplied by a factor of twenty-six. Real wages grew seven-fold from 1978 to 2007.

1978: Economic Reforms Begin

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping began instituting economic reforms in China, leading to improved public health due to better nutrition. However, many free public health services in the countryside disappeared.

1978: Deng Xiaoping Takes Power

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping took power and instituted large-scale political and economic reforms, together with the "Eight Elders".

1978: Beginning 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.

1979: One-Child Policy Advocacy

In 1979, China began to advocate for a strict limit of one child per family.

1979: Literacy Rate

In 1979, China's literacy rate was 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: Urban Population

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

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

1990: Decrease in Population Living with Low Income

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: Asian Games (Beijing)

In 1990, China hosted the Asian Games in Beijing.

1990: Stunting Rates

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

1990: Air Travel Passengers

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

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

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 and is the world's largest trading power.

2001: China Joins WTO

In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization.

2002: Hu Jintao Succeeded Jiang

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

2003: Education Investment

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 a serious outbreak of SARS, although it has since been largely contained.

2003: Citizen Satisfaction with the Government Increased

Since 2003, citizen satisfaction with the government had increased, according to a Harvard University survey published in July 2020. The survey also rated China's government as more effective and capable than ever in its history.

2005: Nature reserves in China

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 was confirmed extinct on 12 December 2006.

2006: 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: Wage Growth

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

2007: Restrictions Slow Foreign Adoptions

Increased restrictions by the Chinese Government slowed foreign adoptions significantly in 2007.

June 2008: Laogai Research Foundation estimate

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

2008: Private Businesses Recorded

Around 30 million private businesses were recorded in China in 2008.

2008: Beijing Summer Olympics

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

2009: Healthcare Provision Initiative

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

2010: Population Growth Rate

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

2010: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

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

2010: Asian Games (Guangzhou)

In 2010, China hosted the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

2010: Economic Complexity Index Ranking

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

2010: Stunting and Air Pollution

In 2010, rates of stunting had declined to 9.9% in China. Also in 2010, air pollution caused 1.2 million premature deaths in China.

2010: Education Expenditure Inequality

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.

2011: Health Insurance Coverage Increase

By 2011, a healthcare provision campaign resulted in 95% of China's population having basic health insurance coverage.

2011: Poverty Line Standard

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 First Space Station Testbed

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

2011: Summer Universiade

In 2011, Shenzhen hosted the Summer Universiade.

November 2012: Xi Jinping takes office

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

2012: Military spending

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

2012: Number of Bicycles

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

2012: BeiDou Commercial Navigation Services in Asia

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

2012: Mo Yan Nobel Prize

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

2012: Xi Jinping Succeeded Hu

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

2012: Second-Largest in High-Tech Manufacturing

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

December 2013: Loosening of Two-Child Policy

In December 2013, China enacted a loosening of the two-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, accounting for roughly 45% of maritime's dry-bulk market.

2013: East Asian Games

China hosted the 2013 East Asian Games in Tianjin.

2013: Global Innovation Index Ranking

China was ranked 35th in the Global Innovation Index in 2013.

2013: Belt and Road Initiative

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

2013: Lunar Rover Landing

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

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

2014: Summer Youth Olympics

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

2015: Largest Middle-Class Population

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

2015: ".5"-Child Policy

From the mid-1980s to 2015, China had a '1.5'-child policy in rural areas, allowing for exemptions to the one-child limit.

2015: Rural Households with Basic Sanitation

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

2015: Restrictions Slow Foreign Adoptions

Increased restrictions by the Chinese Government slowed foreign adoptions significantly again in 2015.

2016: Largest Trading Partner

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

2016: Largest Publisher of Scientific Papers

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

2016: Renewable energy share

China's share of renewable energy increased from 26.3 percent in 2016 to 31.9 percent in 2022.

2016: Two-Child Policy

In 2016, China replaced the one-child policy with 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 estimates

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

2017: Pharmaceutical Ingredients Production

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

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.

2017: Wolf Warrior 2 Release

In 2017, the movie Wolf Warrior 2 was released.

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2017: Air Travel Passengers

In 2017, the number of air travel passengers in China was 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: Patent Applications Received

According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators, China received more applications than the U.S. did in 2018.

2018: Extreme Poverty Reduction

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

2018: 4G Users

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

2018: BeiDou Global Services

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

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 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. Combined, the three operators had over 3.4 million 4G base-stations in China.

2018: Fourth-Most-Visited Country

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

2018: Top Three Airlines Market Share

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

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

2019: Patent Applications Received

According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators, China received more applications than the U.S. did in 2019 and ranked first globally in patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, and creative goods exports in 2021.

2019: First Landing 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: Overtaking U.S. in 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 and Domestic Tourism

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

2019: Annual Ridership

With an annual ridership of over 2.3 billion passengers in 2019, China's high-speed rail is the world's busiest.

April 2020: BRI expansion

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

July 2020: Harvard University survey on government satisfaction

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 Exchanges 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: Ethnic Minorities Population

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

2020: Longest Metro Systems

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: 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.

2020: Return of Moon Samples

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.

2020: Economic Complexity Index Ranking

In 2020, Harvard University's Economic Complexity Index ranked complexity of China's exports 17th in the world.

2020: Literacy Rate and Education Investment

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

2020: Emissions targets announced

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.

2020: Chinese Census

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

2020: Male Population

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

2020: National security law in Hong Kong

The Chinese authorities have also cracked down on dissent in Hong Kong, especially after the passage of a national security law in 2020.

January 2021: Female Billionaires

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

May 2021: Three-Child Policy Announced

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

July 2021: Removal of Family Size Limits

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

2021: Military spending

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

2021: Global Ranking in Intellectual Property

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

2021: Infant Mortality Rate

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

2021: Land use in China

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

2021: Landing on Mars and Rover Deployment

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 Market Share

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

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.

2021: Top Grossing Films

In 2021, The Battle at Lake Changjin and Hi, Mom were released and were among the top grossing films.

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2021: China's Gini Coefficient

Income inequality decreased in the 2010s, and China's Gini coefficient was 0.357 in 2021.

November 2022: Completion of 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 Measures

In December 2022, the Chinese government abandoned its strict public health measures intended to completely eradicate COVID-19 after protests against the policy.

2022: Rural Households with Basic Sanitation

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

2022: World Values Survey results

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

2022: China's Share of Global Economy

As of 2022, China accounted for around 18% of the global economy by nominal GDP. Also, according to the World Bank, China's GDP grew 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.

2022: Pharmaceutical Producer and Exporter

By 2022, China had established itself as a key producer and exporter of pharmaceuticals.

2022: Prosecution of Officials

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

2022: GHG emission levels

By 2030, China's GHG emissions will return to 2022 levels, however, such pathway still leads to a three-degree temperature rise.

2022: Investment in renewable energy

China invested $546 billion in renewable energy and its commercialization in 2022, and their share increasing 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, next to India.

2022: Winter Olympics

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

2022: China'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: Nature Index Ranking

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

2022: Inward Foreign Direct Investment

In 2022, China was amongst the world's largest recipient of inward foreign direct investment (FDI), attracting $180 billion.

2022: 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: Population Decline

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

February 2023: Cellphone Subscribers

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

May 2023: Announcement of Human Moon Landing Plan

In May 2023, China announced a plan to land humans on the Moon by 2030.

December 2023: 5G Users and Base Stations

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

December 2023: High-Speed Rail Length

By the end of December 2023, high speed rail in China had reached 45,000 kilometers (27,962 miles) of dedicated lines alone, making it the longest HSR network in the world.

2023: Religious Affiliation

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, 25.2% are fully non-believers or atheists, 2.5% are adherents of Christianity, and 1.6% are adherents of Islam.

2023: Universities and Students

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: Students and Teachers

As of 2023, China has the largest education system in the world, with about 291 million students and 18.92 million full-time teachers in over 498,300 schools.

2023: Largest Exporter of Cars

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

2023: Chinese Nationals in Space

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

2023: Life Expectancy

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

2023: Renminbi as Traded Currency

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

2023: Highest-Grossing Films

As of 2023, the top three highest-grossing films in China were The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021), Wolf Warrior 2 (2017), and Hi, Mom (2021).

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2023: Military budget

China's official military budget for 2023 totalled US$224 billion (1.55 trillion Yuan), the second-largest in the world, though SIPRI estimates that its real expenditure that year was US$296 billion.

2023: Electricity sources

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

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: Asian Games (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.

2023: Water quality grading

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: World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023

In 2023, the World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook was released by FAO.

2023: Total Fertility Rate

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

March 2024: Billionaires and Millionaires Ranking

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 Mission Launch

China sent Chang'e 6 on 3 May 2024, which conducted the first lunar sample return from Apollo Basin on the far side of the Moon. It also carried a Chinese rover called Jinchan to conduct infrared spectroscopy of lunar surface and imaged Chang'e 6 lander on lunar surface.

June 2024: Lunar Sample Return

Chang'e 6 lander landed on the Moon's surface on 1 June 2024. The ascender was launched back to lunar orbit on 3 June 2024, carrying samples collected by the lander, which later completed another robotic rendezvous, before docking in lunar orbit. The sample container was then transferred to the returner, which landed on Inner Mongolia in June 2024, completing China's far side extraterrestrial sample return mission.

December 2024: 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

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: Diplomatic network

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

2024: Urban Population

As of 2024, over 67% of China's population lives in urban areas. China has over 160 cities with a population of over one million, including 18 megacities.

2024: China's Equity and Bond Market Ranking

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: Democracy Index ranking

China has consistently been ranked amongst the lowest as an "authoritarian regime" by the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, ranking at 145th out of 167 countries in 2024.

2024: R&D Spending and Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, China officially spent around 2.7% of its GDP on R&D, totaling around $496 billion. China was also ranked 11th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.

2024: PLA Services

Since 2024, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) consists of four services: the Ground Force (PLAGF), the Navy (PLAN), the Air Force (PLAAF) and the Rocket Force (PLARF).

2025: GHG emissions peak

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

2030: GHG emissions return to 2022 levels

By 2030, China's GHG emissions will return to 2022 levels, however, such pathway still leads to a three-degree temperature rise.

2030: Emissions peak target

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.

2030: Target Year for Human Moon Landing

In May 2023, China announced a plan to land humans on the Moon by 2030. To that end, China has been developing a lunar-capable super-heavy launcher, the Long March 10, a new crewed spacecraft, and a crewed lunar lander.

2045: Phase out coal electricity generation

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

2060: Carbon neutrality target

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.