China - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesChina is located Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam. The climate is extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north. The terrain is mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : People's Republic of China
Country name - conventional short form : China
Country name - local long form : Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
Country name - local short form : Zhongguo
Country name - abbreviation : PRC
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : Communist state
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Beijing
Capital - geographic coordinates : 39 55 N, 116 23 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Capital - note : despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions - provinces : Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)
Administrative divisions - autonomous regions : Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet)
Administrative divisions - municipalities : Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
Administrative divisions - note : China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic established)
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949)
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008)
Executive branch - head of government : Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17 March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008)
Executive branch - cabinet : State Council appointed by National People's Congress (NPC)
Executive branch - elections : president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress
Executive branch - election results : HU Jintao elected president by National People's Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice president with a total of 2,919 votes
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : last held December 2007-February 2008; date of next election - NA
Legislative branch - election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.Judicial branch : Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts)
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.Political pressure groups and leaders - note : no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the organizations listed above as subversive groups
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.International organization participation : ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 328-2500
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 328-2582
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [86] (10) 8531-3000
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [86] (10) 8531-3300
Diplomatic representation from the US - consulate(s) general : Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, Shanghai, Shenyang
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.Flag description : red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
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