Special report:
30 Years of Reform Opening Up
BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Chinese media) -- 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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