Establishment and Growth of Special Economic Zones (1979–1995)

1. Foreign joint venture law adopted

   Jul 1, 1979Labels: Law on, National People

   • China Embassy

2. Central leaders approve SEZ pilot plan

   Jul 15, 1979Labels: CPC Central, Guangdong SEZs

   • China Daily

3. SEZ label adopted nationwide

   May 16, 1980Labels: Special Economic

   • China org cn
   • China Daily

4. Four initial SEZs formally approved by NPC Standing Committee

   Aug 26, 1980Labels: NPC Standing, Four SEZs

   • Our China Story
   • China Daily

5. National Economic and Technological Development Zones begin

   Jan 1, 1984Labels: Economic and, coastal ETDZs

   • China Embassy

6. Coastal cities meeting recommends expanded opening

   Apr 6, 1984Labels: Coastal Cities, State Council

   • China Daily

7. Coastal open economic regions added beyond SEZs

   Feb 18, 1985Labels: Coastal Open

   • China Checkup

8. Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law adopted

   Apr 12, 1986Labels: WFOE Law, State Council

   • Lehman Law

9. Hainan becomes a province and SEZ

   Apr 13, 1988Labels: Hainan Province, Hainan SEZ

   • China org cn
   • Wikipedia

10. First customs-supervised free trade zone established

    Jan 1, 1990Labels: Waigaoqiao FTZ, Shanghai

    • PeopleChina

11. Pudong development and opening announced

    Apr 18, 1990Labels: Pudong Development, State Council

    • Pudong Gov
    • Wikipedia

12. Deng Xiaoping’s southern tour re-energizes SEZ strategy

    Jan 18, 1992Labels: Deng Xiaoping, Southern Tour

    • China org cn
    • Wikipedia

13. Shanghai Pudong New Area formally approved

    Oct 11, 1992Labels: Pudong New, State Council

    • Wikipedia

14. SEZ model expands into broader national “zone economy”

    Jan 1, 1995Labels: Zone Economy, national expansion

    • China Embassy
    • PeopleChina