The 1950s

1950-1955: Significant improvement of food security among small-scale peasants due to land reform.

1956, Aug.: First mass mobilization for birth control by the Ministry of Public Health has very little impact.

The 1970s

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

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

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

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

The 1990s

1990: Tenthousands of blood plasma donors in rural areas are infected with HIV.

The 2000s

2002, Nov.: Most likely first cases of SARS in Guangdong.

2003: During spring SARS virus outbreak in Hong Kong and Guangdong becomes known to the public. Quarantines.

2003, Feb.: Two laboratories confirm avian influenza virus (H5N1) outbreak in Hong Kong.

2004: The United Nations estimates that one million Chinese are infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS).

2004, June: Scientists are warning that China may be facing a major HIV/AIDS epidemic.

2005: WHO says: Of all children alive today in China, around 50 million will die prematurely from tobacco use related disease.

2006, Jan.: China's Ministry of Health, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and WHO publish report on AIDS.

2006, Jan.: China's Ministry of Health confirms the country's 10th case of human infection with the avian influenza virus H5N1.

2008, Sept.: Sick toll in baby milk scandal raises to 13,000.

2008, Oct.: Wen Jiabao accepts responsibility for milk scandal that might have affected more than 50,000 children.