1997

Midnight, June 30-Early Morning, July1

The Chinese and British governments held a ceremony for the handover of the sovereignty of Hong Kong and declared China's resumption of its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the PRC was officially established. Following the handover ceremony, the ceremony for the establishment of the HKSAR of the PRC and the swearing-in of HKSAR officials was held. The PLA Hong Kong Garrison was to perform their defense duties from 00:00, July 1, 1997.

September 12-18

The 15th CPC National Congress was held. It adopted the report entitled "Hold High the Great Banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and Comprehensively Advance the Cause of Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the 21st Century." The Report laid stress on the historical position and guiding significance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, put forward the basic line for the primary stage of socialism, and explicitly affirmed that upholding and improving the basic economic system whereby socialist public ownership was dominant and economic entities under diverse ownership forms developed side by side was a 166 basic economic system of China at the early stage of socialism. It also emphasized the importance of law- based governance and the need to build a socialist country under the rule of law, and clearly defined the cross-century development goals of reform and opening up, and modernization. The Congress adopted the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (Revised) that included Deng Xiaoping Theory as a guiding ideology of the CPC along with Marxism- Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.