May 12, 1949: The CPC Central Committee establishes the Central China Bureau with Lin Biao named the bureau’s first secretary

May 12, 1958: The first domestic car with a "Dongfeng" brand is produced by Changchun First Automobile Works, marking a milestone in the development of of China's automobile industry

May 12, 2008: A massive 8.0 magnitude earthquake occurs in Wenchuan county in Sichuan province. This is the deadliest and most costly earthquake since the reform and opening-up