Communist China since Tienanmen Square

1989: Li Peng (beleived to have ordered Tienanmen Square massacre) and others oust moderate Zhao Ziyang. Li Peng's power begins to decline.

1991: Government of Taiwan ceases to claim to be sole legitimate government of China.

1994: Deng Xiaoping's last public appearance

1997: Economic crisis in Communist China. Deng Xiaping dies. Jiang Zemin advocates publicly held stocks. James A. Dorn or the Cato Insitute argues that free trade will bring democracy to China. "Trade policy and human rights policy should not be yoked." Hong Kong ceded to Communist China. Human rights violations continue in Tibet. Free China Movement founded.

1998: Li Peng replaces reformer Qiao as Premier. Henry Rowen predicts economic reforms will likely lead to democracy

1999: Falun Gong banned. Members sent to re-education camps. Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui abolishes Taiwan's "one state" policy.

1999, February: Political prisoner Gao Yu released prior to UN human right meeting, promptly re-arrested afterward.

1999, April Amnesty International documents gross human rights violations in Xinjiang Uighur province.

1999, July: "One China, One Taiwan" Resolution introduced in US House. Estimated 50,000 Falun Gong practioners arrested, sent to labor camps

2000: Li Peng and other hardliners return to power. Hu Changqing executed.

2001: Communist Party Internal Report Reveals Spread of Unrest

2001, January: BBC reports Falun Gong detainees died in custody after being beaten.

2002: China releases Ngawang Sangdrol in advance of Zemin's visit to George W. Bush. Hu Jintao becomes chairman of party. Hu Jintao permits politically connected businessmen to obtain Communist Party membership.

2002, August: China's head jailer Du Zhongxing denies there are any political prisoners in China.

2003: Spread of SARS blamed on China's secrecy. Minxin Pei still predicts economic progress will lead to democracy, after "a profound economic and political crisis." Hu Jintao becomes president.

2003, July: Mass protest in Hong Kong over new anti-subversion law. Hu Jintao vows to promote "socialist democracy"

2004, March: Beijing issues a white paper on 50 years of human rights progress in China. All recent examples of progress therein concern strictly economic rights.

2004, April: Beijing rules that Hong Kong may not freely elect their own leaders

2004, July: Huge protests in Hong Kong over Beijing's interference in local elections.

2004, September: Hu Jintao says western style democracy is a "blind alley", commits to one party rule. Police arrests 36,000 dissidents and petitioners.

2004, October: China releases political prisoner Kang Yuchun just before EU delegation arrives to discuss human rights.

2004, December: China tests ballistic missile submarine

2005, February: China releases information on 52 political prisoners prior to meeting with UN Human Rights Commission.

2005, March: Chinese military buildup assessed as threat to U.S.. China approves military force to conquer Taiwan. US abandons a UN resolution criticizing China after China releases Rebiya Kadeer. President Hu Jintao named world's 4th worst dictator by Parade Magazine (down from 3rd in 2004.) Hu Jintao takes control of Military Commission. China restricts publication of news on the Internet, and increases regulation of news reporters and editors.

Reference sites:
The history of dissent and human rights
in the People's Republic of China
Deng Xiaoping's and Recent Chinese History



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