After gathering evidence for three years, the FBI arrested Larry Wu-Tai Chin, who had infiltrated the CIA for decades, on espionage charges based on clues provided by Yu Qiangsheng.
In October 1985, under the principle of then General Secretary Hu Yaobang, Wen Jiabao was selected as deputy director of the General Office of the CCP Central Committee and subsequently promoted to director.
At just 32 years old, after two years of working at the grassroots level in Hebei, Xi Jinping was promoted to member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Xiamen Committee and vice mayor, becoming one of the youngest officials at or above the deputy department level in the country at the time. This promotion was made possible with the help of his father, Xi Zhongxun.
Ma Yanqin was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in 1985 on charges related to hooliganism. Years later, her case and the plight of her family have sparked public attention and reflection.
Beijing Youth Daily reporter Guan Jian interviewed Teresa Teng via long-distance call, and the report was published on the bottom right of the front page the next day, marking what is considered the first formal interview with Teresa Teng by the mainland Chinese press.
Yu Qiangsheng defected to the United States via a CIA-arranged flight through Hong Kong, causing massive tremors within the Chinese Communist Party.
In 1985, Wen Jiabao was selected as the Director of the CCP Central Committee General Office, managing core state secrets for eight years and experiencing multiple major political struggles among the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
After holding a series of deputy ministerial-level positions, Jiang Zemin officially took office as Mayor of Shanghai in 1985.
Ren Zhiqiu was locked up in a detention center over economic issues and was detained for 14 months in total; after his release, the ruling issued by the procuratorate stated that it "need not be deemed a crime."
In 1985, the first Taoli Cup Dance Competition was held. Jin Xing took first place in the junior division and trained himself to perform on pointe as a male dancer.
In 1985 Hu Jintao was transferred from the Communist Youth League Central Committee to serve as Secretary of the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee, making him the youngest provincial Party secretary in China at the time; in 1986 Guizhou's per capita GDP was only 461 yuan, ranking last in the country.