China 1949 to 2008

1949, Communist leader Mao Zedong proclaims the founding 0f People's Republic of China.
1958: Mao launches Great Leap Forward, a five-year economic plan.
1959: Chinese forces suppress large-scale revolt in Tibet. Dalai Lama escapes to India.
1962: China attacks India.
1966: Cultural Revolution, Mao's 10-year political and ideological campaign,begins.
1971: China replaces Taiwan in UN.
1972: US President Richard Nixon visits China.
1976: Mao dies. Gang of Four, including Mao's widow arrested. 1977: Deng Xiaoping emerges as leader.
1989: Troops open fire on demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square .. 1989: Jiang Zemin becomes Communist Party General Secretary.
1993: Jiang Zemin becomes President.
1997: Deng Xiaoping dies. Hong Kong reverts to China. 1999: Macao reverts to China.
2001: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan - and Uzbekistan launch Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. China joins World Trade Organisa­tion.
2002: Vice-President Hu Jintao becomes Communist Party leader.
2003: Hu Jintao elected President. China and India sign agreement over status of Tibet and Sikkim ..
2006: Tibet railway line, the world's highest train route opened.
2008: Anti-China protests escalate in Tibet. Olympics in Beijing.