40 Firsts: Milestones Show Important Changes That Lead to Today's China

Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province [Xinhua]

With the continuous advancement of China's reform and opening up policy, some 1.3 billion Chinese people have made great progress and stably embarked on a broad road towards prosperity and well-being.

China started its reform from the countryside 40 years ago with countless innovative initiatives, including setting up the household land contract system, and establishing a special trade zone. These projects rapidly extended to the cities, which stimulated hundreds of millions of people to strive for a better life.

Since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last year, China has made overall arrangements such as deepening supply-side structural reform, accelerating the construction of an innovative country and improving the socialist market economy system for comprehensively deepening reform.

With over 5,000 years of civilization and history, China has made significant contributions to the progress of human civilization with socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Now China is striding along the path of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. The goal of building a socialist modernized country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is forging ahead.

Let's review some major events that have happened in the past 40 years.

The communique of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is adopted. [Xinhua]

Eighteen farmers leave their fingerprints on a document for the household land-contract responsibility system in the winter of 1978 and leaders pose for a photo in front of a thatched cottage farmhouse in 1981. [Xinhua]

The household responsibility system was a practice in China, first adopted in agriculture in 1979.

French Meng Peisha (second from left), the head chef of Beijing Air Catering Co., and assistant chef Deng Yaoquan (second from Right), from Hong Kong, work together on food combinations in May 1986. [Xinhua]

On April 10, 1980, Beijing Air Catering Co.,Ltd., the first China-foreign joint venture in the country, was approved for establishment.

The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone under construction [Xinhua]

On August 26, 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the establishment of a special economic zone in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. In the past 40 years, Shenzhen has developed from being a rural village into a world-renowned financial and technological innovation-oriented city.

A trial-production assembled color TV set passes a durability test. [Xinhua]

In 1980, China's first color television production line was built and operated on a trial production basis at the state-owned Tianjin Radio Factory, north China.

Zhang Huamei obtains the first business license from the Wenzhou Administration for Industry and Commerce on December 11, 1980. [Xinhua]

On December 11, 1980, Zhang Huamei, a woman who sold buttons, obtained the first business license for individual business owners, from Wenzhou Administration for Industry and Commerce, in east China's Zhejiang province.

Tapes of TV Spring Festival gala song tracks [Xinhua]

On Chinese New Year's Eve of 1983, people enjoyed a reunion and the first TV Spring Festival Gala.

Shanghai Vacuum Electronics, Shanghai Feiyue Audio, and Shanghai Ace Co. jointly issue dividend payout to over 30,000 shareholders through Jing'an bond department of Shanghai Trust Co. of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in 1998. [Xinhua]

On November 18, 1984, Shanghai Feiyue Audio Co. was established and issued to the public 10,000 shares with a value of 50 yuan each. This was the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China (in 1949) that shares were publicly issued.

People wait for patent applications at Beijing-based Patent Bureau of China. The Patent Law of People's Republic of China was officially implemented on April 1, 1985. [Xinhua]

Hu Guohua, an engineer from the former Aerospace Industry Department, obtained China's first patent application number and applied for the first Chinese patent.

Luo Jinxing (holding sign No. 11), manager of Shenzhen Real Estate Company, obtains the right to use of a piece of residential land for auction by the municipal government with 5.25 million yuan. The auction was held on December 1, 1987. [Xinhua]

On December 1, 1987, Shenzhen Municipal Government held a public auction of land use rights and operated the first land auction after the establishment of the New China.

KFC opens a trial operation in Beijing on October 10, 1987. [Xinhua]

On November 12, 1987, KFC, the U.S. fast food company chain, officially opened its first restaurant in China in the bustling area of Beijing's Qianmen Street.

The Beijing New Technology Industry Development Pilot Zone, the first high-tech industrial development pilot zone in China [Xinhua]

On May 10, 1988, with the approval of the State Council, the first high-tech industrial development pilot zone in China, the Beijing New Technology Industry Development Pilot Zone, was established.

China's first expressway [Xinhua]

On October 31, 1988, China's first expressway, Shanghai-Jiading Expressway, opened to traffic. As of the end of 2017, the total distance of roads in China was 4.77 million kilometers, of which the total distance of expressways was 136,000 kilometers, ranking first in the world.

The ceremony for the establishment of Shanghai Stock Exchange [Xinhua]

On November 26, 1990, China's first stock exchange, Shanghai Stock Exchange, officially opened, and on July 3, 1991, Shenzhen Stock Exchange was opened.

The billboard of InfoHighWay, the first Internet service provider in China [Xinhua]

InfoHighWay, the first Internet service provider in China, was established in May 1995.

The 2017 China International E-Commerce Expo was held in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, with the theme of "Sharing the Economy, Connecting the Future" on April 11-13, 2017. [Xinhua]

On April 7, 1998, the first e-commerce deal was completed in China: Beijing Haixing Kaizhuo Computer Co. and Shaanxi Huaxing Import and Export Co. conducted the first electronic transaction via an e-commerce system at China Electronic Commerce Center. In 2017, the nation's e-commerce transaction volume reached 29.16 trillion yuan, with an increase of 11.7 percent year-on-year.

China successfully launches its first navigation satellite Beidou. [Xinhua]

On October 31, 2000, China's first self-developed transit satellite, the Beidou Navigation Experiment Satellite, was launched at Xichang Satellite Launch Center, southwest China's Sichuan province.

The signing ceremony for China's accession to the World Trade Organization, held in Doha, Qatar, on November 11, 2001. [Xinhua]

On November 10, 2001, the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) reviewed and adopted China's decision to join the WTO in Doha, Qatar, by consensus. China's accession to the WTO entered into force on December 11 that year.

The Shenzhou-V manned spacecraft lands successfully with its intact re-entry capsule at the main landing site in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, north China at 6:23 a.m. on October 16, 2003. [Xinhua]

At 9 a.m. on October 15, 2003, China's first manned spacecraft Shenzhou-V was successfully launched, which made astronaut Yang Liwei the first Chinese in space.

The D-Series High-speed Trains parked at Wuhan Dongju Depot for inspection and thermal insulation on February 1. [Xinhua]

On December 22, 2007, Hexie, China's first domestically-produced train with a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour, was completed. Fuxing, an series of electric multiple unit high-speed trains, which owns the independent intellectual property rights, was launched in both directions at Beijing South Railway Station and Shanghai Hongqiao Station on June 26, 2017. By the end of 2017, the total distance of China's railway has reached 127,000 kilometers, of which the high-speed railway reached 25,000 kilometers, accounting for 66.3 percent of the world's total.

The opening ceremony of the 29th Beijing Olympic Games takes place at the National Stadium, on August 8, 2008. [Xinhua]

In August 2008, the 29th Olympic Games was held in Beijing. With the closing of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Games is currently in preparation.

A fireworks show at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo on April 30, 2010. [Xinhua]

From May 1 to October 31, the 2010 World Expo was held in Shanghai.

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning puts out to sea for scientific research and training. [Xinhua]

At 10 a.m. on September 25, 2012, Liaoning, the first aircraft carrier commissioned into the People's Liberation Army Navy, was formally on active service in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Chinese manned deep-sea research submersible Jiaolong [Xinhua]

On June 24, 2012, Chinese manned deep-sea research submersible Jiaolong created a record for China's deep diving in the Mariana Trench test area of the Western Pacific, reaching a maximum depth of 7,020 meters.

Aerial photographs of Shanghai Free Trade Zone in March 2017 [Xinhua]

On September 29, 2013, the first free trade trial zone in China's mainland, China (Shanghai) Free Trade Pilot Zone, was formally established.

Visitors appreciate the views of the terraces in Longsheng, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, during May Day holiday. [Xinhua]

In 2013, the proportion of added value of the tertiary industry in China exceeded that of the secondary industry for the first time, with the rate of 46.1 percent. In 2015, it exceeded 50 percent for the first time.

A poster of Shanghai-Hong Kong securities company in Fuxingmenwai Street, Beijing, in 2014 [Xinhua]

On November 17, 2014, the opening ceremony of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect was held in the stock exchanges of Shanghai and Hong Kong simultaneously. They closed their first deal with Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd and Cheung Kong (Holdings).

The closing ceremony of World Internet Conference is held in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang province on November 21, 2014. [Xinhua]

On November 19, 2014, the first World Internet Conference kicked off in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang province.

Audiences learn about an airborne photoelectric detection and guidance device. [Xinhua]

From October 19-23, 2015, The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week was held throughout the country, with the main venue located in Zhongguancun Technology Park in Beijing.

The "Time Tunnel" in the exhibition center of the Guizhou Database Comprehensive Experimental Zone. (Photo taken on May 25, 2017) [Xinhua]

On March 2, 2016, the Guizhou Database Comprehensive Experimental Zone was officially launched in southwest China's Guizhou province.

The supercomputer Sunway TaihuLight at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province. (Photo taken on June 20, 2016) [Xinhua]

On June 20, 2016, China's first homegrown supercomputer Sunway TaihuLight, which was built using entirely domestic processors, won the World Supercomputer Championship and became the world's fastest supercomputer.

The quantum scientific experimental satellite Mozi, was observed at Nanshan observation station in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on June 15, 2017. [Xinhua]

On August 16, 2016, China successfully launched the world's first quantum science experimental satellite Mozi.

Gardeners maintained the G20-themed flowerbed on the streets of Jiangnan Avenue in Binjiang District, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, on August 25, 2016. [Xinhua]

From September 4-5, 2016, the 11th Summit of the Group of 20 (G20) was held in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Christine Lagarde, President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), delivers a speech to announce the renminbi becoming the first emerging market currency included in the IMF's special drawing rights basket on October 1, 2016. [Xinhua]

On October 1, 2016, the official currency of China, the renminbi, became the first emerging market currency to be included in the special drawing rights basket of the International Montery Fund (IMF), the basket of currencies used by the IMF as reserve currency.

C919, a large civil jet aircraft independently developed by China, makes its first flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on May 5, 2017. [Xinhua]

At 2 p.m. on May 5, 2017, China's first domestic twinjet airliner developed by Chinese aerospace manufacturer Comac, tested its first flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation takes place at the Beijing National Convention Center on May 14, 2017. [Xinhua]

On May 14-15, 2017, the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing.

The Hangzhou Internet Court in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, in 2017 [Xinhua]

On August 18, 2017, China's first Internet court, Hangzhou Internet Court, was established in east China's Hangzhou.

Xiong'an Public Service Center in Hebei Province, north China [Xinhua]

On September 28, 2017, the first batch of 48 companies had been approved to settle in Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei province.

The world's first somatic cell clone monkeys Zhongzhong and Huahua are carefully cared for in the incubator room of the non-human primate platform of the Institute of Neurosciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Xinhua]

On November 27, 2017, Zhongzhong, the world's first cloned monkey using somatic cells, was born.

Visitors experience unmanned cars at the 2017 World Internet of Things Convention held in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu province, on September 10, 2017. [Xinhua]

On December 19, 2017, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport promulgated the first domestic laws and regulations on road testing for unmanned vehicles.

Photos of Sanya City, south China's Hainan province, taken in February 1991, and April 2018 [Xinhua]

On April 14, the Guiding Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Supporting Hainan's Deepening of Reform and Opening-up was formally released to support the construction of a free trade pilot zone.

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was opened in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on October 18, 2017. [Xinhua]

(Source: Women Voice/Translated and edited by Women of China)