History of China in Timeline

China, officially the People's Republic of China, is an East Asian country and the second-most populous globally, with over 1.4 billion residents. Covering 9.6 million square kilometers, it is the third-largest country by area and borders 14 nations. Administratively, China is divided into 33 province-level divisions, including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions. Beijing serves as the capital, while Shanghai is its most populous city and a significant financial hub.

1901: Boxer Rebellion

In 1901, the ill-fated anti-foreign Boxer Rebellion further weakened the Qing Dynasty.

1905: First Chinese film released

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

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1911: Xinhai Revolution

In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution ended the Qing dynasty.

January 1912: Establishment of the Republic of China

On 1 January 1912, the Republic of China (ROC) was established, and Sun Yat-sen of the Kuomintang was proclaimed provisional president.

1912: Abdication of the Last Emperor

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

1912: End of the Qing Dynasty

In 1912, the Qing dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China, ended.

1915: Yuan Shikai Proclaims Himself Emperor

In 1915, Yuan Shikai, a former Qing general, proclaimed himself Emperor of China.

1916: Re-establishment of the Republic

In 1916, Yuan Shikai was forced to re-establish the republic after facing popular condemnation and opposition.

1927: Start of the Chinese Civil War

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

1927: Breakdown of Kuomintang and CCP Alliance

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, marking the beginning of the Chinese Civil War.

1931: Japan Invades Manchuria

In 1931, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria.

1932: China participates in the Olympic Games

China first participated in the Olympic Games in 1932.

1934: CCP Initiates the Long March

In 1934, CCP forces in Jiangxi were wiped out by the Nationalists, leading the CCP to initiate the Long March and relocate to Yan'an in Shaanxi.

1937: Japan Invades Other Parts of China

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

1937: Invasion by the Empire of Japan

In 1937, the Empire of Japan invaded China, leading to the formation of the Second United Front between the CCP and Kuomintang to resist the Japanese.

1945: Surrender of Japan

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, China emerged victorious but war-ravaged and financially drained.

1946: Resumption of the Chinese Civil War

In 1946, fighting between CCP and KMT forces broke out and the country resumed a state of civil war that lasted more than three years.

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 because of the ongoing war.

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

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

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: Communists came 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: China Standard Time

In 1949, China adopted a single national time zone, China Standard Time (UTC+8).

1949: Literacy Rate in 1949

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

1949: CCP Proclaims the People's Republic of China

In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) proclaimed the People's Republic of China (PRC), forcing the Kuomintang-led government to retreat to Taiwan.

1949: Lowest Recorded Birthrate Since 1949

In 2025, China's population officially stood at 1.404 billion with births at 7.92 million, the lowest recorded birthrate since at least 1949.

1949: Major Combat Ends in Chinese Civil War

Major combat in the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949.

1949: Unitary Communist State

Since 1949, China has been a unitary communist state with the CCP as its sole ruling party.

1949: Per capita income at one-fifth of world average

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

1950: PRC Captures Hainan and Annexes Tibet

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

1952: China participates as the PRC in the Olympic Games

In 1952, China participated in the Olympic Games as the PRC.

1953: Sex Ratio in 1953

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

1958: Archaeological Discoveries of the Erlitou culture

In 1958, archaeologists discovered sites belonging to the Erlitou culture that existed during the early Bronze Age. These sites have since been characterized as the remains of the historical Xia dynasty, but this conception is often rejected.

1958: Start of the Chinese space program

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

1959: Great Leap Forward Famine

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

1961: First Decline Since 1961

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

1961: Great Leap Forward Famine

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

1964: China Detonates 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, sparking a decade of political recrimination and social upheaval.

1970: China launched its first satellite

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

1971: UN Recognition

Most countries have switched recognition from the ROC to the PRC since the latter replaced the former in the UN in 1971.

1974: Chinese Population

In 1974, The Chinese population increased to 900 million.

1976: Mao's death

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.

1978: Economic Reforms and Public Health

After Deng Xiaoping began instituting economic reforms in 1978, the health of the Chinese public improved rapidly because of better nutrition.

1978: China began reducing extreme poverty

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

1978: Reform and Opening Up

In 1978, China initiated the reform and opening up process, shifting from a planned economy to a market-based economy.

1978: Deng Xiaoping Took Power

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping took power and started the reform and opening up, instituting large-scale political and economic reforms to transition away from a planned economy.

1978: Introduction of the reform and opening up policy

In 1978, the reform and opening up policy was introduced. According to the World Bank, China's GDP grew from $150 billion in 1978.

1978: Economic reforms began

Since economic reforms began in 1978, China has developed into a highly diversified economy.

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

In 1979, China's literacy rate was 65.5%.

1980: Urbanization Rate

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

December 1982: Adoption of Current Constitution

China adopted its current constitution on 4 December 1982.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre

In 1989, a movement for political liberalization in China stalled following the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

1989: Tiananmen Square Protests

In 1989, there were protests such those in Tiananmen Square, and then throughout the entire nation.

1990: Decrease in population living with less than $1.90 per day

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: China hosts Asian Games in Beijing

In 1990, China hosted the Asian Games in Beijing.

1990: Increase in Air Passengers

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

1990: Rates of Stunting

Rates of stunting have declined from 33.1% in 1990 to 4.5% in 2024.

1997: Return of Hong Kong

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

1999: Return of Macau

Portuguese Macau returned to China in 1999 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: China became a member of the World Trade Organization

China has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2001.

2002: Hu Jintao Succeeded Jiang

In 2002, Hu Jintao succeeded Jiang as the general secretary.

2003: Government Satisfaction Survey

A Harvard University survey published in July 2020 found that citizen satisfaction with the government had increased since 2003.

2003: SARS Outbreak

China's large population and densely populated cities have led to serious disease outbreaks, such as SARS in 2003.

2003: China independently sends humans into space

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: Annual Education Investment

In 2003, China's annual education investment was less than US$50 billion.

December 2006: Baiji Extinction

On December 12, 2006, the Baiji, a species of freshwater dolphin native to China, was confirmed to be extinct.

June 2008: Laogai Facilities

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

2008: China hosts the Summer Olympics in Beijing

In 2008, China hosted the Summer Olympics in Beijing, achieving the highest number of gold medals.

2009: Healthcare Provision Initiative

In 2009, the Chinese government began 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: China became the world's largest manufacturing nation

China has been the world's largest manufacturing nation since 2010, after overtaking the U.S.

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: China hosts Asian Games in Guangzhou

In 2010, China hosted the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

2010: Economic Complexity Index rank

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

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.

2011: Health Insurance Coverage

By 2011, 95% of China's population had basic health insurance coverage.

2011: Used to measure population living below poverty line

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: China launched its first space station testbed

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

2011: Shenzhen hosts Summer Universiade

In 2011, Shenzhen hosted the Summer Universiade.

November 2012: Xi Jinping Takes Office

Xi Jinping took office as the general secretary (party leader) of the CCP on November 15, 2012.

2012: Number of bicycles in China

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

2012: China wins most medals at Summer Paralympics

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

2012: BeiDou began offering commercial navigation services

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

2012: Mo Yan awarded Nobel Prize in Literature

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

2012: Xi Jinping Succeeded Hu

Xi Jinping succeeded Hu as paramount leader in 2012.

December 2013: Loosening of Policy

In December 2013, China allowed families to have two children if one parent is an only child.

2013: China became the world's largest trading nation

China became the world's largest trading nation in 2013 by the sum of imports and exports.

2013: China's rank in the Global Innovation Index

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

2013: China hosts East Asian Games in Tianjin

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

2013: Belt and Road Initiative

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

2013: Chinese robotic rover Yutu landed on the lunar surface

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.

2014: China hosts Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing

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

2015: China had the world's largest middle-class population

China has had the world's largest middle-class population since 2015.

2015: "1.5"-child policy

From the mid-1980s to 2015, China implemented a "1.5"-child policy.

2015: Access to Basic Sanitation

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

2016: China became the largest trading partner of 124 countries

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

2016: China became the world's largest publisher of scientific papers

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

2016: Two-Child Policy

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

2016: China has the largest number of movie screens

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

2016: Modern Slavery Estimate

The Global Slavery Index estimated that in 2016 more than 3.8 million people (0.25% of the population) were living in "conditions of modern slavery".

2017: Pharmaceutical Ingredients

By 2022, China had established itself as a key producer and exporter of pharmaceuticals, producing around 40 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients in 2017.

2017: Top grossing film in China

In 2017, Wolf Warrior 2 was among the top three highest-grossing films in China.

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2017: Religious Restrictions

In 2017, the Pew Research Center ranked the severity of Chinese government restrictions on religion as being among the world's highest.

2017: Air Passengers

In 2017, the number of air passengers in China reached 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: China received more patent applications than the U.S.

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

2018: China reduced extreme poverty by 800 million

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 world's total.

2018: Market Share of Top Airlines

In 2018, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines collectively made up 71% of the Chinese airline market.

2018: China was the fourth-most-visited country in the world

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

December 2019: COVID-19 Pandemic Identified

The COVID-19 pandemic was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019.

2019: China received more patent applications than the U.S.

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

2019: Nature Reserves in China

As of 2019, China had over 2,750 nature reserves, covering a total area of 1,470,000 km (570,000 sq mi), which is 15 percent of China's total land area.

2019: China received 65.7 million international visitors

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

2019: China lands 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: China overtook the U.S. in 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.

April 2020: Belt and Road Initiative Expansion

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

July 2020: Government Satisfaction

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

October 2020: Market capitalization of Chinese stock exchanges

As of October 2020, the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges together have a market capitalization of over $15.9 trillion.

2020: Ethnic Minorities

According to the 2020 census, ethnic minorities account for less than 10% of the population of China.

2020: Longest Metro Systems

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

2020: Chang'e 5 returns 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: China becomes the largest cinema market

In 2020, China became the largest cinema market.

2020: Education Investment and Literacy Rate

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

2020: Carbon Neutrality Aims

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: Religious Restrictions Ranked

In 2020, the Pew Research Center ranked the severity of Chinese government restrictions on religion as being among the world's highest.

2020: Chinese Census Population

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

2020: Census Findings on Sex Ratio

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 cracked down on dissent in Hong Kong, especially after the passage of a national security law in 2020.

2020: Figures from the 2020 census

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: China had 85 female billionaires

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

May 2021: Three-Child Policy

In May 2021, a three-child policy was announced due to population aging.

July 2021: Removal of Family Size Limits

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

2021: Peak of Urbanization Rate

According to the United Nations, China's urbanization rate peaked in absolute numbers in 2021.

2021: China ranked first globally in several categories

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: Land use

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

2021: China lands a spacecraft and deploys a rover 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: China accounts for over 37% of the global e-commerce market share

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

2021: Top grossing film in China

In 2021, The Battle at Lake Changjin was among the top three highest-grossing films in China.

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2021: Population Decline

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

November 2022: China completes Tiangong space station and performs crew handover

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

December 2022: Abandonment of Eradication Goal

In December 2022, China abandoned its goal of completely eradicating COVID-19 following protests.

2022: Public Confidence in Government

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

2022: China accounts for 18% of the global economy by nominal GDP

As of 2022, China accounts for around 18% of the global economy by nominal GDP.

2022: Pharmaceuticals

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

2022: Anti-Corruption Crackdown

By 2022, Xi Jinping launched a vast anti-corruption crackdown that prosecuted more than 2 million officials.

2022: Access to Basic Sanitation

In 2022, 93% of rural households in China had access to basic sanitation.

2022: Beijing hosts Winter Olympics

In 2022, Beijing hosted the Winter Olympics, becoming the first dual Olympic city.

2022: China accounted for 18.6% 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.

2022: China overtook the US in the Nature Index

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

2022: China was amongst the world's largest recipient of inward foreign direct investment

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

2022: China's highways reached a total length of 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: Deaths Overtake Births

Since 2022, deaths have outpaced births in China.

February 2023: China has over 1.7 billion cellphone subscribers

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

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

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

December 2023: Urban Mass Transit Systems

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

December 2023: China had over 810 million 5G users

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

2023: Eighteen Chinese nationals have journeyed into 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: Approximately 200 million bicycles in China

As of 2023, there are approximately 200 million bicycles in China.

2023: China's total outward FDI was $147.9 billion

China also invests abroad, with a total outward FDI of $147.9 billion in 2023.

2023: China hosts Asian Games in Hangzhou

In 2023, China hosted the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

2023: China's Gini coefficient was 0.37

In 2023, China's Gini coefficient was 0.37.

2023: Religious Affiliation

In 2023, according to surveys done by Pew Research, 93% of respondents were formally unaffiliated with any religion, while 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: Renminbi is the world's fourth-most traded currency

The renminbi is the world's fourth-most traded currency as of 2023.

March 2024: China's foreign exchange reserves reached US$3.246 trillion

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 conducted lunar sample return from Apollo Basin

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.

2024: Forest Coverage

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

2024: Megacities

As of 2024, China had 18 megacities (cities with a population of over 10 million).

2024: Higher Education System

As of 2024, China had over 3,167 universities, with over 47.6 million students enrolled in mainland China, giving China the largest higher education system in the world.

2024: Diplomatic Networks

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

2024: Life Expectancy

As of 2024, the life expectancy at birth in China exceeds 79 years and rates of stunting have declined from 33.1% in 1990 to 4.5% in 2024.

2024: China has three of the world's ten most competitive financial centers

As of at least 2024, China has three out of the world's ten most competitive financial centers.

2024: China's GDP reaches $18.74 trillion

By 2024, China's GDP grew to $18.74 trillion.

2024: China's middle-class grew to 500 million

By 2024, China's middle-class grew to 500 million.

2024: China spent around 2.7% of its GDP on R&D

China officially spent around 2.7% of its GDP on R&D in 2024, totaling to around $496 billion.

2024: Democracy Index Ranking

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

2024: Electricity 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; in total, 38% of China's energy came from clean energy sources.

2024: Education System Statistics

In 2024, China had about 287 million students and 18.85 million full-time teachers in over 470,300 schools.

2024: Number of Airports

In 2024, China had approximately 259 airports.

2024: Education Continuation

In 2024, about 92.0 percent of students continued their education at a three-year senior secondary school, while 60.8 percent of secondary school graduates were enrolled in higher education.

2024: China became the world's largest exporter of cars

The country is the world's largest exporter of cars by number as of 2024.

March 2025: China ranked second in the world in total number of billionaires

In March 2025, Forbes estimated China ranked second in the world, after the U.S., in total number of billionaires.

December 2025: China has over 1.125 billion Internet users

As of December 2025, China has the largest number of internet and broadband users, with over 1.125 billion Internet users—equivalent to around 80.1% of its population.

2025: Urbanization Rate

According to Chinese government figures, over 68% of China's population lived in urban areas in 2025.

2025: 57 million private businesses recorded

Around 57 million private businesses were recorded in 2025.

2025: Top Universities

As of 2025, China had the world's highest number of top universities. As of 2025, there were 2 Chinese universities in the global top 20, 5 in the top 50, and 19 in the top 200.

2025: China's Railways and High-Speed Rail

As of 2025, China's railways had reached 165,000 km, the second-longest network globally. High-speed rail (HSR) lines alone reached 50,400 kilometers, making it the longest HSR network in the world.

2025: China was ranked 10th in the Global Innovation Index

China was ranked 10th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025, a considerable improvement from its rank of 35th in 2013.

2025: China's Population

In 2025, China's population officially stood at 1.404 billion with births at 7.92 million, the lowest recorded birthrate since at least 1949.

2025: Video game market and film rankings in China

In 2025, China's video game market was the world's largest by revenue, and the top three highest-grossing films in China included Ne Zha 2 (2025).

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2030: China plans to land humans on the Moon

China plans to land humans on the Moon by 2030.

2030: Target for Peak Emissions

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

2045: Phase out coal electricity

According to academics, in order 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.