Major events in 30 years of China's reform, opening-up

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- On this date 30 years ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) made a landmark policy shift, known as the reform and opening up drive, which gave the then poverty-stricken nation hope of a better life through economic change.

The radical economic and social changes in China have justified that decision.

The world has witnessed a growing China with remarkable economic, social and technological achievements. Since the introduction of the policy, China has turned from an impoverished country into the world's fourth-largest economy.

The past three decades have also been a critical era for China to embrace globalization and seek scientific, peaceful, harmonious and coordinated development at home.

Following are some major events of the past 30 years:

December, 1978 -- The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing. The meeting made the important decision to restore order by turning away from chaotic class struggle and focus on China's economic construction and opening up.

The meeting established the collective leadership of the CPC Central Committee, with Deng Xiaoping as the core, and it restored the CPC's traditions -- including seeking truth from facts.

July, 1979 -- Four pilot Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in the coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong were set up.

The SEZs -- Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen -- enjoyed favorable policies and flexible measures on foreign economic activities and became China's window to accumulate economic and legal experience through contacts with foreign countries.

January, 1982 -- The central government approved the practice of the Household Contract Responsibility System, which links personal income to an individual's contribution and hence stimulates farmers' initiative. The system was a milestone in releasing productive forces in the vast rural hinterland.

October, 1984 -- The central government decided to further revive the domestic economy and uphold the opening-up policy. It urged efforts to create conditions for breaking up the planned economic system.

December, 1986 -- State-owned enterprise reform began. Trial leasing and contract operations were encouraged and various forms of management responsibility in enterprises were adopted.

These were major steps to stimulate enterprises' internal reform to meet competition, and they had great significance in giving enterprises more say over their development.

October, 1987 -- The 13th National Congress of the CPC put forward a three-stage development plan that was to run through themid-21st century and emphasized the importance of economic growth by sticking to the reform and opening-up policy -- known as the principle of "one central task, two basic points".
Early 1992 -- During a historic 1992 inspection tour of economic zones in south China, Deng made political announcements aimed at giving impetus to and invigorating economic reforms.

September, 1995 -- The government decided to transform the traditional planned economy system into a socialist market economic system and transform China's economic growth mode from "extensive" to a "quality-oriented intensive" type.

July, 1997 -- The British colony of Hong Kong returned to China. The world financial center enjoyed a high degree of autonomy and maintained a highly capitalist economy under the policy of "one country, two systems".

March, 1999 -- The private-sector economy was confirmed as an important part of the socialist market economy.

March, 1999 -- The strategy of developing the western region of China was proposed amid efforts to expand domestic demand and provide a driving force for the sustainable growth of the national economy.

November, 2001 -- China formally became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) after 15 years of hard work. WTO membership ensured that China could enjoy the fruits of liberalization under the multilateral trading system as well as stable and unconditional most-favored-nation benefits. These rights helped Chinese commodities on the world market.

September, 2003 -- The strategy of revitalization of old northeast industrial bases was adopted. It focuses on systematic innovations, technical upgrading and economic restructuring.

October, 2003 -- China successfully sent its first astronaut, Yang Liwei, into space in the domestically made spacecraft Shenzhou V. The feat made China the third country to independently send an astronaut into space after Russia and the United States.

October, 2003 -- The CPC Central Committee decided to pursue a "scientific strategy of development," which became China's national strategy aimed at balanced and sustainable growth.

March, 2004 -- Protection of private property was written into the Constitution amid efforts to protect citizens' property rights and promote the rule of law.

December, 2005 -- Agricultural taxes, which existed for 2,000 years, were abolished to reduce the financial burden on farmers.

July, 2006 -- The Qinghai-Tibet railway, one of the world's highest-altitude rail lines, began to run between Xining in the northwest Qinghai Province and Lhasa of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

October, 2007 -- The "Property Law" took effect. It is a fundamental law for the protection of private property.

October, 2007 -- The 17th CPC National Congress set out a blueprint to further reform and open up. It urged that political reform be deepened to meet the country's development demands.

May, 2008 -- The government quickly accepted overseas aid for relief efforts soon after a magnitude-8.0 earthquake struck southwest Sichuan Province and the neighboring region. The move was in sharp contrast to the practice in 1976 after the Tangshan earthquake, when the government declined international aid.

The whole country was mobilized to relieve the disaster, which left more than 69,000 people dead, 374,000 injured, 18,000 missing and millions homeless.

August, 2008 -- The Olympic Games were held in Beijing as 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 sports. A record 204 National Olympic Committees participated. The Games saw 43 world records and 132 Olympic records set. Chinese athletes led the gold metal count at 51.

December, 2008 -- The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services, the first time since the two sides split after the civil war in 1949.

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