COMPANY·HISTORIES

China

Companies based in China, and the events that shaped them.

12companies1912–1997founding years11still active1no longer operating
§ 01

China companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedBank of China
1912
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedGuangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedShanghai Baosteel Group CorporationFoundedZindart Ltd.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedHaier Group Corporation
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedChina Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd.FoundedChina Southern Airlines Company Ltd.
1988
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedSINA Corporation
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedChina Life Insurance Company Limited
1996
FoundedTsingtao Brewery Group
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

China Telecom →
Active · China
Established: 1994 Employees: 500,000 Sales: US$21.9 billion (2001) NAIC: 513310 Telecommunications Networks, Wired;…
Shanghai Petrochemical Co., Ltd. →
Active · China
Founded: 1972 Employees: 60,000 Sales: RMB12.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) (1995) Stock Exchanges: Hong Kong New York…
Bank of China →
Active · founded 1912 · China
Total Assets: $433.78 billion (2003) NAIC: 522110 Commercial Banking Bank of China (BOC) is that country's oldest bank,…
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd. →
Active · founded 1956 · China
Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd.
Shanghai Baosteel Group Corporation →
Active · founded 1978 · China
Shanghai Baosteel Group Corporation is the Chinese government-owned holding company for a group of steel, steel…
Zindart Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1978 · China
After being acquired by Zindart, Corgi introduced Premier Models, which incorporated details not found in most die-cast…
Haier Group Corporation →
Active · founded 1984 · China
Haier Group Corporation is one of the world's top-selling makers of white goods and other home appliances.
China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1988 · China
China Eastern Air Co.
China Southern Airlines Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1988 · China
China Southern Airlines Company Ltd.
SINA Corporation →
Active · founded 1993 · China
SINA Corporation (Sina) is one of China's leading Internet-based media groups, providing Chinese-language web portals…
China Life Insurance Company Limited →
Active · founded 1996 · China
China Life Insurance Company Limited is the largest life insurer in the People's Republic of China.
Tsingtao Brewery Group →
Active · founded 1997 · China
Tsingtao Brewery Group is the parent of publicly traded Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited, which is renowned for its…
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