1989 - Troops open fire on demonstrators who have camped for weeks in Tiananmen Square initially to demand the posthumous rehabilitation of former CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang, who was forced to resign in 1987. The official death toll is 200.
International outrage leads to sanctions.
Jiang Zemin takes over as Chinese Communist Party general secretary from Zhao Ziyang, who refused to support martial law during the Tiananmen demonstrations. Stockmarkets open in Shanghai and Shenzhen. 1992 - Russia and China sign declaration restoring friendly ties. 1993 - Jiang Zemin officially replaces Yang Shangkun as president. 1995 - China tests missiles and holds military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, apparently to intimidate Taiwan during its presidential elections.