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China

 
     
    • Names: 
     
        conventional long form: 
        People's Republic of China 
     
        conventional short form: 
        China 
     
        local long form: 
        Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo 
     
        local short form: 
        Zhong Guo 
     
    • Abbreviation: 
      PRC 
     
    • Digraph: 
      CH 
     
    • Type: 
      Communist state 
     
    • Capital: 
      Beijing 
     
    • Administrative divisions: 
      23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang 
     
        note: 
        China considers Taiwan its 23rd province 
     
    • Independence: 
      221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949) 
     
    • National holiday: 
      National Day, 1 October (1949) 
     
    • Constitution: 
      most recent promulgated 4 December 1982 
     
    • Legal system: 
      a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law 
     
    • Suffrage: 
      18 years of age; universal 
     
    • Executive branch: 
     
        chief of state: 
        President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993); election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth National People's Congress 
     
        head of government: 
        Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since 24 November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988) Vice Premier ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993); Vice Premier LI Lanqing (29 March 1993); Vice Premier WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995); Vice Premier JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995) 
     
        cabinet: 
        State Council; appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC) 
     
    • Legislative branch: 
      unicameral 
     
        National People's Congress: 
        held March 1998); results - CCP is the only party but there are also independents; seats - (2,977 total) (elected at county or xian level) 
         
    • Women's Share of Seats in Parliament:

      • 25% (1997 est.)
     
    • Judicial branch: 
      Supreme People's Court 
     
    • Political parties and leaders: 
      Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee (since 24 June 1989); eight registered small parties controlled by CCP 
     
    • Other political or pressure groups: 
      such meaningful opposition as exists consists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and government organization, that vary by issue 
     
    • Member of: 
      AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 
     
    • Diplomatic representation in US: 
     
        chief of mission: 
        Ambassador LI Daoyu 
     
        chancery: 
        2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 
     
        telephone: 
        [1] (202) 328-2500 through 2502 
     
        consulate(s) general: 
        Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco 
     
    • US diplomatic representation: 
     
        chief of mission: 
        Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY 
     
        embassy: 
        Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing 
     
        mailing address: 
        PSC 461, Box 50, Beijing; FPO AP 96521-0002 
     
        telephone: 
        [86] (1) 5323831 
     
        FAX: 
        [86] (1) 5323178 
     
        consulate(s) general: 
        Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang 
     
    • Flag: 
      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