Mainland China

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Mainland China
Traditional Chinese: 中國大陸
Simplified Chinese: 中国大陆
Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnggúo Dàlù
Cantonese Jyutping: jung1 gwok3 daai6 luk6

Mainland China, or Continental China, or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term usually synonymous with the area currently governed by the People's Republic of China (PRC), including off-shore islands.

However, it does not include the two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of the PRC, which are Hong Kong and Macau.

Taiwan, as not ruled by the PRC, is also not included in "the mainland".

Contents

[edit] Introduction

The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as "mainland China".
The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as "mainland China".

Ever since the Kuomintang (KMT) led Republic of China lost the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China in 1949 leading to the establishment of the PRC, there has been a struggle between the two Chinese entities. The PRC has since been based on "Mainland China".[1] It excludes the area controlled by the retreating Kuomintang, as well as the then colonies of Hong Kong and Macau.[2] Since the return of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and 1999 respectively, the term continues to regularly exclude these territories in respect of the policy as adopted by the PRC central government towards the SARs.[3]

The term is also used in economic indicators, such as IMD Competitiveness Report.

[edit] View of the term by group

  • Supporters of Taiwanese independence also frequently disfavour the use of the term as it implied a geographical extension or relation to the rest of China. In the mainland itself, the term (simplified Chinese: 内地; traditional Chinese: 內地; pinyin: nèidì), literally the inland. The term has gained popularity in use in place of the term "mainland", particularly after the return of the SARs.[citation needed]
  • In Hong Kong and Macau, the term "mainland China" and "mainlander" is frequently used for people from the PRC. For political correctness, the term (內地) has become the most common in the region. Official government groups such as "Constitutional and Mainland Affairs" (政制及內地事務局) is an examples that use the inland term.[6]
  • In the PRC, the inland term (內地) is often separated by the external term (國外) or (外國) for things outside of the mainland region. Examples include "Administration of Foreign-funded Banks" (中華人民共和國外資銀行管理條例) or the "Measures on Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Insurance Institutions" (外國保險機構駐華代表機構管理辦法).[3]

[edit] Others

Other use of geography-related terms are also often used where neutrality is required.

Simplified
Chinese		 Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Jyutping Description
两岸关系 兩岸關係 liǎng'àn guānxì loeng5 ngon6 gwaan1 hai6 Reference to the Taiwan Strait (Cross-Strait relations, literally "relations between the two sides/shores of the Strait of Taiwan)
海峡两岸 海峽兩岸 Hǎixiá liǎng'àn hoi2 haap6 loeng5 ngon6 The physical shores on both sides of the straits, "two shores" may be used.
两岸三地 兩岸三地 liǎng'àn sāndì loeng5 ngon6 saam1 dei6 An extension of this is the term "two shores, three places"
两岸四地 兩岸四地 liǎng'àn sìdì loeng5 ngon6 sei3 dei6 When referring to either Hong Kong or Macau, or "two shores, four places" when referring to both Hong Kong and Macau

[edit] References

  1. ^ Jeshurun, Chandran. [1993] (1993). China, India, Japan and the Security of Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 9813016612. pg 146.
  2. ^ So, Alvin Y. Lin, Nan. Poston, Dudley L. Contributor Professor, So, Alvin Y. [2001] (2001). The Chinese Triangle of Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Greenwood Publishing. ISBN 0313308691.
  3. ^ a b LegCo. "Legislative council HK." Mainland Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Bill. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  4. ^ Apdrc.org. "Apdrc.org." Taiwan's Identity Politics. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  5. ^ Mac.gov.tw. "Mac.gov.tw." Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  6. ^ Cmab.gov.hk. "Cmab.gov.hk." Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.

http://www.imd.ch/research/publications/wcy/World-Competitiveness-Yearbook-2008-Results.cfm http://www.imd.ch/research/publications/wcy/upload/scoreboard.pdf

[edit] See also

 
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