China
2019.10.14 12:32 GMT+8

On the Road: Reform and opening-up – turning point for China

Updated 2019.10.15 12:56 GMT+8
CGTN

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) and the China Media Group (CMG) jointly produced a 24-episode documentary "On the Road." 

It focuses on the great achievements and valuable experiences of people of all ethnic groups in the socialist revolution, construction and reform over the past 70 years. 

The eighth episode of the series focuses on education development and the reform and opening-up policy. On August 4, 1977, Deng Xiaoping, one of the most influential leaders of the PRC, presided over a forum on science and education. A group of scholars demanded the college entrance examination be reintroduced. Deng strongly supported it.

Subsequently, the college entrance exam was reinstated after an 11-year hiatus and 5.4 million people signed up for the exam and 270,000 were accepted. Their fate have been changed. In March 1978, with the spring sun on their faces, the 270,000 new students arrived on campus, ready to start a new life. 

At the same year, the first National Science Conference was held in Beijing. This was the first National Science Conference held since the founding of the PRC. Science was advancing rapidly around the world around 1970s, bringing new opportunities.

On December 18, 1978, the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee convened in Beijing. This historic meeting decided that the Party and country should shift their focus to socialist modernization and concentrate on the strategic decision to reform and opening-up. 

After that, the curtain was raised on reform and opening-up in China, which is regarded as a turning point for China's development.

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