| A universal guide for China studiesChinese History - People's Republic of China 中華人民共和國 (since 1949) |
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People's Republic of China |  period before (Republic)-- Taiwan ROC -- Hong Kong SAR -- Macao SAR | |
 | After almost 30 years of civil war and war against the Japanesse aggression the Communist Party (Gongchandang 共产党) of China founded the People's Republic on Oct 1, 1949. The foundation of a new state prepared the chance to alter traditional rules and structures, and to wipe away the shame China that had been imposed on her by the unequal treaties in the 19th century. But the construction of a new China was less than a smooth transgression into a new age. Questions about the implementation of socialist ideas and the fear of a domination by a Russian-style socialist bureaucracy lead to the split within China's leadership after the Great Leap Forward (Dayuejin 大跃进) and thus directly lead into the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (Wenhua geming 文化革命) that was only ended with Mao Zedong's 毛泽东 dead in 1976. A new leadership under Deng Xiaoping 邓小平 stressed the need of reform and opening (gaige kaifang 改革开放) to ameliorate the life conditions of the Chinese population and to restrengthen China's economy. But reform was not a political reform towards democracy as was demonstrated by the Chinese leadership in 1989. Since, China has made real great leaps in the economical sphere and in international politics again becoming one of the leading powers of the world. The first astronaut of China, Yang Liwei, has proved that China - at least in certain fields - was on the way of becoming a technological challenger for other nations. But there are still many unresolved national and international problems - unemployment, the difference between the modern urban centers at the east coast and the poor hinterland, the question of local democracy, and the Taiwan issue. | Map and Geography |
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