The People's Republic of China (PRC) grew much stronger in its economy during the 1990s and 2000s. Many people started to see it as a rising global power. By 2010, China became the world's second-largest economy. In 2014, it became the largest economy when measured by what people can buy with their money, passing the United States.

At the same time, China faced many social challenges. New leaders, like Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, took charge. They wanted to balance economic growth with making society more fair and stable. They focused on helping farmers and people in rural areas. They also tried to control information, especially on the internet.

China's growing importance also brought more attention and questions from other countries. For example, before the 2008 Summer Olympics, there were concerns about human rights. There were also issues with product safety. This led to a strong sense of national pride among Chinese people worldwide. By 2012, more than half of China's population lived in cities. Many of these city dwellers were people who moved from the countryside during China's rapid economic growth.

New Leaders: The Hu-Wen Administration
China's Relationships with Other Regions
China's Role in the World
Culture and Lifestyle
Challenges for China's Future
- Managing a Huge Population
- Pollution Concerns

New Leaders: The Hu-Wen Administration

How Leaders Changed

Since the 1980s, China's leaders set rules for older officials to retire. In November 2002, Jiang Zemin, a top leader, stepped down. This made way for a younger group of leaders. Hu Jintao, an engineer, became the new leader. Many thought Jiang Zemin would still have a lot of influence.

Wen Jiabao also became a key leader. He became the Premier in March 2003. Together, Hu and Wen led the country. They were known as the Hu-Wen Administration. Both leaders were known for being careful and moderate. Hu Jintao was the youngest member of the top leadership group at the time. Wen Jiabao had worked in many parts of China.

In November 2012, Hu Jintao retired. Xi Jinping took over as the new top leader. Xi Jinping started a big campaign against corruption. This campaign also helped him remove political rivals within the party.

New Government Focus

Hu and Wen took over at a time when China had many social and economic problems. There was a lot of corruption and a big gap between rich and poor. At first, their policies were similar to the previous leaders. But gradually, they started to make changes.

They focused on helping people who had not benefited much from China's economic growth. They wanted to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Both Hu and Wen visited poorer parts of China often. They wanted to understand these areas better.

Leaders in China still agree that economic reforms should continue. But some people wonder about the country's direction. China's fast economic growth often hides its internal problems. Hu and Wen said their government would solve problems in a more logical way.

Controlling Information

Chinese leaders know that news can help fight corruption. At first, they allowed more freedom for news media. But the government still sometimes stopped reporters or closed newspapers that did not follow the official line. Hu Jintao's media changes were seen as careful by Western observers.

However, Hu asked official news outlets to focus more on everyday issues that affect people. They were told not to just report on the daily activities of top leaders. The internet and text messages made it harder for the government to control all information. But websites like Google and Wikipedia were still often blocked. News from Hong Kong also became more available in mainland China. People there were eager for more "real news."

Protecting People's Rights

The idea of "rights protection" (called Weiquan movement) started in the 1990s. At first, it was about protecting consumer rights. It grew more after 2003. People started to protest, use the legal system, or write letters to protect their rights.

However, this movement faced challenges. The legal system in China is not fully independent. The government sometimes viewed these actions with suspicion. Lawyers were sometimes bothered, journalists were hurt, and people were put in prison. There was also a system called "Re-education through labor" where people could be held for up to four years without a court trial. This system was used against some activists.

Despite these difficulties, the movement made some progress. For example, a system called "custody and repatriation" was stopped in 2003. But overall, progress was slow.

China's Relationships with Other Regions

Hong Kong's Return

Hong Kong became part of China again in 1997. Before that, it was a British colony. Since then, its economy has done well. There were discussions about how much democracy Hong Kong would have under China's rule.

The central government in Beijing wanted to keep control over choosing Hong Kong's leader and some lawmakers. This made some people in Hong Kong unhappy. They wanted to vote directly for their leaders. Thousands of protesters marched in the streets to demand more democracy.

Taiwan's Status

After Hong Kong and Macau rejoined China, the main issue was Taiwan. China's government hoped that a leader who wanted to unite with mainland China would win Taiwan's elections. In 2005, a leader from Taiwan's Kuomintang party visited Beijing. This was the first meeting between the two parties since the Chinese Civil War ended.

However, a leader who supported Taiwan's independence was re-elected in 2004. This slowed down talks about unification. While this leader promised not to start a conflict, he also took steps to create a separate Taiwanese identity. In 2008, travel between Taiwan and mainland China became a little easier.

Tibet and China

The Chinese government and the 14th Dalai Lama have been talking since 1978. The Dalai Lama wants a "Greater Tibet" and for Tibet to be a democracy. China's government has said no to these demands. The Dalai Lama has traveled the world to ask other countries to pressure China.

Because of this, some hardline leaders in China gained more power. Tibetan nationalists felt they needed to protest more strongly. After a peaceful period, the 2008 Tibetan unrest caused an international reaction against China.

China's Role in the World

Hu Jintao's leadership made China take a stronger stand in global affairs. Since the United States was focused on other regions like Iraq, China had more freedom to act on the world stage. China also spent more money on its military. There were concerns about spying and cyber-attacks. However, China's military still faced issues like corruption and outdated equipment.

North Korea Relations

China was seen as a rising global power. Hu's government wanted to show China's influence. China helped mediate the Six-party talks to calm concerns about North Korea's nuclear program. China was North Korea's main ally, providing food and oil.

When North Korea tested a nuclear weapon in October 2006, it was embarrassing for China. This led to some disagreements between China and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-il. China even cut some supplies to North Korea.

Working with African Nations

China also became more involved in Africa. Hu Jintao visited seven African countries in January 2007. He made deals and promised financial help without many conditions. This gained China support from many African leaders.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

In 1996, a group called the Shanghai Five was formed. It included China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. When Uzbekistan joined in 2001, it became the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO aims to strengthen trust and cooperation among its members. They work together in politics, trade, science, culture, and other areas. They also try to keep peace and stability in the region.

Some people in Western countries think the SCO might be a way to balance the power of the US and NATO. But SCO leaders say it is not against any other countries.

Taiwan's Diplomatic Ties

Most countries in the world follow the "one-China policy." This means they recognize Beijing as the only legitimate government of China. Only a few countries have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Taiwan has tried to gain more recognition by offering financial help to countries.

Now, China, being economically stronger, is also using financial help to persuade countries to switch their recognition from Taiwan to mainland China. After the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election and the 2024 Taiwanese presidential election, some countries in Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific changed their diplomatic ties to the People's Republic of China.

Culture and Lifestyle

Chinese culture has seen many changes. New trends from Western societies, like high-end fashion and street dancing, have become popular. A growing middle class now has new opportunities. They can study abroad, find new jobs in big cities, and buy luxury goods. However, these opportunities are mostly available to people living in China's cities.

Challenges for China's Future

Managing a Huge Population

China's leaders face a big challenge: managing a population of 1.3 billion people while continuing economic reforms. These reforms have changed the old socialist system. People now rely more on private businesses for jobs and services.

Millions of state workers have lost their jobs since 1998. Not enough new jobs are created each year. This means many unemployed workers are in the cities. Keeping social order can be difficult. Workers sometimes protest, and the government usually tries to meet their demands, but sometimes arrests their leaders.

Pollution Concerns

China uses a lot of coal for energy. This has damaged its air quality. Some of China's major cities have some of the most polluted air in the world.

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History of the People's Republic of China (2002–present) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

History of the People's Republic of China (2002–present) facts for kids

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