The Tiananmen Square protests of June 4, 1989 were a series of student-led demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square against the Chinese government's economic reforms and the lack of political reform. The students called for an end to corruption, censorship, limits on basic rights, and more democratic representation.

On June 3-4,, 1989, Chinese troops opened fire on students, workers, and others who had been peacefully protesting in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square. In April 1989, university students in Beijing gathered in Tiananmen Square to draw up a list of demands broadly centred on political and economic reforms, but also including calls for an end to corruption, censorship, and limits on basic rights.

Mao Zedong was the leader of China during this period. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern Chinese history, with his policies having a profound impact on the country's development and its relationship with the outside world.

The Great Leap Forward of 1958–1962 under Mao Zedong involved major agricultural reforms aimed at increasing production through collectivization and other means. Excess deaths have been estimated at between 10 million and 20 million people when considering famine-related mortality rates.
