The 1970s

1970: In the mid-1970s China's relations with Vietnam begin to deteriorate. Violent incidents along the Sino-Vietnamese border.

1970: First satellite launch ("Long March").

1970-1980: Based on a 50-year forest inventory, researchers find that between 1970 and 1980 Chinese forest expanded significantly.

1970-1976: "Gang of Four" with Mao's wife is trying to get influence by spearheading the "Cultural Revolution".

1970-1976: Mao Zedong is increasingly disappearing from public life due to health problems.

1971, March: Successful launch of the SJ-1 statellite into orbit with two scientific payloads (detecting cosmic rays).

1971, July: Henry Kissinger secretly visits China.

1971, Sept.: Lin Biao is killed in airplane crash while fleeing after an attempted military coup.

1971, Nov.: The People's Republic replaces the Republic of China (Taiwan) in UN Security Council.

1972-1973: Group in State Council of China mobilizes resources for a nationwide birth control campaign, which has little impact.

1972, Feb.: Visit of US President Richard Nixon to China. Normalization between US and China begins.

1974: Discovery of "Terracotta Army" in tomb near Xian with thousands of statues.

1975: Maximum recommended family size - in cities: two children, in rural areas: three to four children

1976, Jan.: Death of Premier Zhou Enlai.

1976, July: Massive earthquake (7.8 Richter scale) devastates the city of Tangshan (Hebei Province). At least 270,000 people die.

1976, Sept.: Chairman Mao Zedong dies at the age of 82. "Gang of Four" with Mao's widow tries to get into power.

1977: After the end of the Cultural Revolution the national unified entrance examination for unitversities is re-introduced.

1977: Hua Guofeng starts "Open Door" policy, which is later incorporated in Deng Xiaopings "Four Modernizations" program.

1977: Deng Xiaoping wins the power struggle after Mao's death.

1978: The 1978 Constitution of the People's Republic of China guarantees freedom of religion with a number of restrictions.

1978: Pinyin system approved by State Council as the standard system of phonetic spelling of Chinese words.

1978-1990: Introduction of Pragmatism in China's political and economic system. Promotion of market elements.

1978-1979: Deng Xiaoping introduces stepwise economic reforms: "The Four Modernizations".

1978-1979: "Democracy Wall" in Beijing with pro-democratic posters.

1978, June: State Council establishes a new "Birth Planning Small Leading Group" to strengthen family planning.

1978, Sept.: E-mail link is established between Germany and China (CSNET protocol). First message from China: Sept. 20.

1979: First modern environmental legislation in China.

1979: Diplomatic relations are established between the US and China.

1979: Introduction of the "Household Responsibility System" in agriculture greatly improves China's food security.

1979: Introduction of China's strict "One-Child" family planning program at provincial level, in 1980 at national level.

1979, Jan.: Pinyin phonetic spelling system officially adopted by PRC government.

1979, Jan.: U.S. President Jimmy Carter visits China.

1979, Feb.: China invades Vietnam (for 29 days) after Vietnamese troups had ousted the pro-Beijing Pol-Pot regime in Cambodia.

1979, July: New Criminal Code becomes effective, legally banning torture and physical punishment of suspects.