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| 1951–52 |
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| The government of the PRC commenced the “three-anti” campaign to wipe out waste, corruption, and bureaucratism. This was seen as a housecleaning operation by the much enlarged CCP, resulting from Communist victories. Similarly, a “five-anti” campaign against bribery, tax evasion, fraud, stealing of state property, and theft of economic secrets was launched. A later campaign was aimed at ridding China of rats, sparrows, flies, and mosquitoes—“four pests” responsible for carrying disease and whose elimination improved public health greatly. | 1 |
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| 1951, March 5 |
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| The government reportedly reached an agreement with Tibet, under which the latter was granted internal autonomy; China retained control of the defense and foreign affairs of the Dalai Lama's realm. | 2 |
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| 1952, Dec. 31 |
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| In accordance with their 1950 treaty, the PRC and the Soviet Union ended their joint administration of the Changchun Railway; the USSR yielded its rights in the partnership. | 3 |
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| 1953, Sept. 15 |
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| The Chinese Communist radio announced the negotiation of an “unprecedented” economic aid program with the USSR to enable China to build up its heavy industry. | 4 |
| The first Five-Year Plan commenced (1953–57), following Soviet models and with Soviet assistance: 28,000 Chinese technicians went to study in the USSR, and 11,000 Soviet technicians came to China. The state invested widely in heavy industry, with only a tiny fraction of the money coming from Soviet loans. | 5 |
| From late 1953 into early 1954, the first purge of high-level CCP members took place. Gao Gang (1902–54), with his power base in Manchuria, and Rao Shushi, with his base in Shanghai, had apparently disagreed with Mao over economic policy; they were accused of establishing their own “independent kingdoms” and accordingly driven from the party. Gao allegedly committed suicide; Rao simply disappeared. | 6 |
| The first PRC census listed the total mainland Chinese population as 582,600,000. | 7 |
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| 1954, Aug. 13 |
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| Zhou Enlai's call for a determined drive to win Taiwan was approved. | 8 |
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| Oct. 11 |
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| A Sino-Soviet agreement provided for the Soviet Union's evacuation of the Lüshun (Port Arthur) naval base by June 1955 and arranged for a substantial extension of Soviet credit to help build up Chinese industry. The agreement also called for the “occupation” of Taiwan. | 9 |
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| Oct. 15 |
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| The Soviet Union called on the UN General Assembly to condemn the U.S. for aggression against China by its conversion of Taiwan into a “breeding ground for war.” | 10 |
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| Nov. 23 |
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| A military court sentenced to long prison terms the 13 U.S. airmen who disappeared on anti-Communist missions during the Korean War. | 11 |
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| Dec. 10 |
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| The UN General Assembly, voting 47–5, condemned the PRC's conviction of the U.S. airmen for spying. On Dec. 11, Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–61) conferred with Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing about the release of the prisoners. Zhou accepted the proposal on Dec. 17. | 12 |
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