1979 in China

Events in the year 1979 in the People's Republic of China.

Incumbents

 * Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party – Hua Guofeng
 * Premier of the People's Republic of China – Hua Guofeng
 * Chairman of the National People's Congress – Ye Jianying
 * Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference – Deng Xiaoping
 * Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China – Deng Xiaoping

Governors

 * Governor of Anhui Province – Wan Li then Zhang Jingfu
 * Governor of Fujian Province – Liao Zhigao then Ma Xingyuan
 * Governor of Gansu Province – Song Ping then Li Dengying
 * Governor of Guangdong Province – Wei Guoqing then Xi Zhongxun
 * Governor of Guizhou Province – Ma Li (until unknown)
 * Governor of Hebei Province – Liu Zihou
 * Governor of Heilongjiang Province – Yang Yichen then Chen Lei
 * Governor of Henan Province – Duan Junyi then Liu Jie
 * Governor of Hubei Province – Chen Pixian then Han Ningfu
 * Governor of Hunan Province – Mao Zhiyong then Sun Guozhi
 * Governor of Jiangsu Province – Xu Jiatun then Hui Yuyu
 * Governor of Jiangxi Province – Jiang Weiqing then Bai Dongcai
 * Governor of Jilin Province – Wang Enmao
 * Governor of Liaoning Province – vacant
 * Governor of Qinghai Province – Tan Qilong then Zhang Guosheng
 * Governor of Shaanxi Province – Wang Renzhong then Yu Mingtao
 * Governor of Shandong Province – Bai Rubing then Su Yiran
 * Governor of Shanxi Province – Wang Qian then Luo Guibo
 * Governor of Sichuan Province – Zhao Ziyang then Lu Dadong
 * Governor of Yunnan Province – An Pingsheng then Liu Minghui
 * Governor of Zhejiang Province – Tie Ying then Li Fengping

January

 * January 1 — The United States broke diplomatic relations with Republic of China, and established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.
 * January - The One Child Policy is announced and implemented (est.)

February

 * February 17 – The People's Republic of China invades northern Vietnam, launching the Sino-Vietnamese War.

March

 * March 5 – Zhuhai County was upgraded to Zhuhai City.
 * March 14 – In China, a Hawker Siddeley Trident crashes into a factory near Beijing, killing at least 260.

September

 * September 27 – Stars Art Exhibition, the first independent art exhibition, takes place in Beihai Park, Beijing

Births

 * January 13 – Yang Wei, Badminton player
 * February 9 – Zhang Ziyi, film actress
 * February 17 – Xu Yunlong, footballer
 * March 5 – Tang Gonghong, Chinese weightlifter
 * March 12 – Liu Xuan, Gymnast
 * March 14 – Gao Ling, badminton player
 * May 15 – Li Yanfeng, discus thrower
 * April 19 – Zhao Junzhe, footballer
 * June 14 – Ma Ning, association football referee
 * June 20 – Li Yi, footballer
 * July 19 – Mo Huilan, gymnast
 * August 15 – Tong Jian, pair skater
 * August 27 – Tian Liang, diver
 * September 18 – Bobo Chan, Musical artist
 * October 5 – Gao Yuanyuan, actress and model
 * October 7 – Tang Wei, actress
 * December 10 – Yang Jianping, archer
 * December 24 – Pang Qing, figure skater
 * December 27 – Sa Dingding, folk singer and songwriter

Deaths

 * January 15 – Yang Zhongjian, vertebrate paleontologist (b. 1897)
 * February 7 – Su Zhenhua, general (b. 1912)
 * March 12 – Zheng Xiaocang, writer, translator, and educator (b. 1892)
 * May 27 – Yao Zhe, People's Liberation Army lieutenant general (b. 1906)
 * August 14 – Wang Yun-wu, scholar of history and political science (b. 1888)
 * December 3 – Zhang Guotao, politician (b. 1897)