Quick Guide: China's economic reform
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Early years

Opening up

Cooling off

Renewed growth

Economic giant

Cooling off
The loosening of economic policies sparked massive growth

Deng's reforms led to rapid growth and a more market-based economy.

Other cities were given the liberal policies reserved for the special economic zones (SEZs) in the south.

But the system was unable to restrain large-scale corruption or control inflation, which shot to 18.5% in 1988.

So to drastically reduce growth, in the middle of 1988, Beijing adopted several austerity measures - limiting foreign joint ventures, slashing investment and tightening monetary controls.