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MODERN HISTORY OF CHINA

Objective chronological listing of significant events leading up to modern China.

1911 - 1923

• Founding of Republic of China. Sun Yat-Sen elected Provisional President. (1911)
  
• Qing emperor abdicates. (1912)
  
• Sun Yat-sen and others form the Nationalist Party (Guomindang or Kuomintang). (1912)
  
• Song Jiaoren, President of the Nationalist Party, is assassinated. (1913)
  
• Yuan Shi-kai disbands the National Assembly. (1914)
  
• First World War begins in Europe. (1914)
  
• Yuan Shi-kai prepares to declare himself emperor. A National Protection Army rises up against Yuan. (1915)
  
• Yuan Shi-kai dies of illness. (1916)
  
• Revolution in Russia. (1917)
  
• China joins World War I on the side of the Allies. (1917)
  
• A Military Government is established in Guangzhou, independent of Beijing. (1917)
  
• Beijing government reaches agreement of military cooperation with Japan. (1918)
  
• First World War ends. (1918)
  
• Creation of Communist Internal (Comintern) in Soviet Russia. (1919)
  
• Treaty of Versailles. Peace Conference in Paris transfers Germany’s interests in China to Japan over objection of Chinese delegation. (1919)
  
• May Fourth movement. Protests against the Treaty of Versailles. Demands for science and democracy to strengthen China against foreign domination. Rebellion against Confucian tradition. (1919)
  
• Chinese translation of the Communist Manifesto is published. (1920)
  
• Formation of the Chinese Communist Party. (1921)
  
• Members of Chinese Communist Party join Nationalist Party as individuals. (1922)
  
• Formation of the Soviet Union. (1922)
  
• Soviet Union agrees to provide full support to the Nationalist Party and Guangzhou government. (1923)