1971 in China

Incumbents

• Chairman of the Communist Party of China – Mao Zedong
• President of the People's Republic of China – vacant
• Premier of the People's Republic of China – Zhou Enlai
• Chairman of the National People's Congress – Zhu De
• Vice President of the People's Republic of China – Soong Ching-ling and Dong Biwu
• Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China – Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping

  Events

March

• March 26 – Cameroon and the People's Republic of China established bilateral relations

  May

• May 26 – Austria and the People's Republic of China establish diplomatic relations.

  June

• June 10 – The U.S. ends its trade embargo of China.

  September

• September 13 – The Chinese Communist military leader Lin Biao dies in a plane crash in Mongolia after what appeared to be a failed coup to oust Mao. After his death, he was officially condemned as a traitor.

  October

• October 25 – The United Nations General Assembly admits the People's Republic of China and expels the Republic of China.

  November

• November 23 – The People's Republic of China takes the Republic of China's seat on the United Nations Security Council.
• Henry Kissinger secretly visits Beijing

  Births

Deaths

• April 29 - Li Siguang, Chinese scientist. the founder of China's geomechanics
• September 13 – Lin Biao, Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China
• September 13 – Lin Liguo, the son of the Chinese Communist military leader Lin Biao
• September 13 – Ye Qun, the wife of the Chinese Communist military leader Lin Biao