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China's century
February 19, 1997
Web posted at: 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 GMT)(CNN) -- Key events in China after the fall of its last dynasty:
October 10, 1911: Imperial rule collapses when provinces declare independence from the Qing dynasty.
January 1, 1912: Sun Yat-sen, regarded as the father of modern China, is named provisional president of the Chinese Republic.
February 1912: Sun resigns and Yuan Shih-kai, a reformist official and chief trainer of the army, becomes first president.
1913: Yuan dissolves parliament and takes dictatorial powers.
1916: Yuan dies; China disintegrates into regionalism ruled by feudal warlords.
April 1917: Sun declares himself generalissimo of his own regime.
1921: Communist Party founded in Shanghai.
1923: Communists and Sun's Nationalists ally to drive out the warlords.
1925: Sun dies, is succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek.
1927: Communist-Nationalist alliance breaks, civil war follows.
1928: Chiang establishes Republic of China in Nanjing, but most of China still ruled by warlords.
1931: Japan invades northeast China, sets up former Qing emperor as puppet-emperor of Manchukuo.
1937: Communist-Nationalist civil war suspended for Anti-Japanese War, which merges into World War II.
1945: World War II ends; civil war resumes.
February 3, 1949: Communist troops enter Beijing.
October 1, 1949: Communist leader Mao Tse-tung declares founding of People's Republic of China.
1950: Mao quickly brings China under his control, and allies the country with the Soviet Union.
October 25, 1950: Troops from the United States and China clash near Pukchin, Korea.
November 26-27, 1950: China sends a huge army against United Nations troops in Korea.
1953: China begins its first Five Year Plan for economic development.
1976: After an extended illness, Mao Tse-tung dies.
July 22, 1977: Deng is named vice premier and goes on to lead China through its greatest period of modernization and foreign contact.
January 1, 1979: China and the U.S. establish normal diplomatic relations. The U.S. recognizes Beijing as capital of China.
April 1988: Li Peng named premier.
1989: Thousands thought killed as government moves to stifle pro-democracy student demonstrations.
Related stories:
- Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping dies
- China airs documentary celebrating life of 92-year-old Deng - January 10, 1997
Related sites:
- Inside China Today
- China News Services
- China.com
- People's Daily - official newspaper of the Communist Party of China
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