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Taiwnan Retreats
Mao Zedong, having led the Communists to victory against the Nationalists after more than 20 years of civil war, proclaims the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Nationalists retreat to the island of Taiwan and set up a government there. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Troops open fire on demonstrators who have camped for weeks in Tiananmen Square initially to demand the posthumous rehabilitation of former CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang, who was forced to resign in 1987. The official death toll is 200. International outrage leads to sanctions. -
Massive Protests
Anti-China protests escalate into the worst violence Tibet has seen in 20 years, five months before Beijing hosts the Olympic Games -
Beijing Olympics
Beijing hosts Summer Olympic Games. -
China Formerly Takes over Japan
China formally overtakes Japan to become the world's second-largest economy after Tokyo published figures showing a Japanese GDP rise of only four per cent in 2010. -
Massive Earthquake
A massive earthquake hits Sichuan province, killing tens of thousands. -
China and Russia Form an Alliance
Russia and China sign declaration restoring friendly ties. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranks China's economy as third largest in the world after the US and Japan.