I think that the year 1978, when Deng Xiaoping became the leader of China, is the most influential in China’s recent history. Deng started introducing various reforms, especially in the field of agriculture. Framers had to grow a certain amount of crops for the government and could sell surplus crops for profits. Deng created special economic zones to encourage other countries to carry out trade with China. Job opportunities increased, and people started migrating from rural areas. Many modern buildings were constructed. Deng gave a lot of importance to education and urged the youth of China to travel abroad for higher education. People’s standard of living improved. However, this rapid modernization has led to pollution and other environmental concerns in China today. Though China has gained the position of the strongest economy, it still has a long way to go to undo the ill effects of industrialization and urbanization
<u><em>This is the right answer for Edmentum and Plato. </em></u>
One of the most influential moments in China's recent history is the ascension to power of Deng Xiaoping, who became China's leader from 1978 until 1989, shortly after the death of his predecessor and founder of communist China: Mao Zedong, who died in 1976.
Deng Xiaoping began a series of economic reforms. These reforms consisted in the introduction of some market incentives in specific areas of the country: the special economic zones. In these zones, private investment was promoted by the state, and this led to the rapid transformation and development of the Chinese economy that we still see to this day.
