THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF CHINA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The People's Republic of China, also known simply as "China", is a country located in the eastern part of the Asian continent. It is famous for being the country with the third largest total territory in the world, covering 9,596,960 square kilometers.

Its official language is Mandarin, spoken by more than 800 million people - and in this way it constitutes the most widely spoken language in the world - but there are also different Chinese languages ​​and dialects that have official recognition in certain provinces, such as Cantonese, Wu, and Mongolian.

On the other hand, its official currency is the Renminbi, also known as the Chinese Yuan. It is one of the currencies used as a reserve currency by the International Monetary Fund.

The People's Republic that remains until today was founded in 1949 by the Chinese Communist Party, after the Chinese Civil War (1927-1949) between it and the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) ended. This civil war ended the first Republic that began in 1912.

Before 1912, China had been ruled by a long line of dynasties dating back to at least the 17th century BC.

Main characteristics of China

1. It is the most populated country in the world

It is estimated that the population of China reached a figure of 1,382,710,000 (one thousand three hundred and eighty-two billion seven hundred ten thousand) inhabitants by the end of 2016, which makes it the most populous country in the world.

2. It is a one-party state

The entire Chinese government is made up of a single political party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In the country there are legally eight parties different from the PCC, but the Constitution establishes the PCC as the only party in power, and that the other parties must accept this as a condition for their existence.

The rest of the legal political parties are socialist, centralist or opposed to the Kuomintang party, whom they consider a dictatorial party.

Those eight parties are given a level of participation through the System of Multiparty Cooperation and Political Consultation.

They can participate in the discussion of state affairs through annual meetings called by the PCC, bi-monthly meetings called by the PCC, private meetings called by the PCC, or by making recommendations in writing to the members of the PCC.

In practice, it is the Communist Party that controls political power and state affairs as a whole.

3. It is divided into 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 2 special administrative regions and 4 municipalities under central jurisdiction.

The People's Republic of China is made up of 22 provinces, this figure being the first level of political-administrative division. Most of them have been established since the era of the dynasties.

On the other hand, within its territory it has 5 autonomous regions associated with existing ethnic minorities in the country: Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Ningxia, Xinjiang and Guangxi.

They have a higher level of administrative autonomy in the financial, administrative and economic areas.

Similarly, it has 2 administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macao, which also have a higher level of autonomy and have an Executive representative and their own organic laws.

Finally, it establishes 4 municipalities under central jurisdiction, which are 4 Chinese cities (Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing and Shanghai) that are subject to the direct control of the central government, and not of the provincial authorities.

4. It is internally divided with the ROC

In China the first republican government was founded in 1912, under the power of the Chinese Nationalist Party, founded that same year by different revolutionary groups that overthrew the last dynasty in power.

This first republic was born under the name of the Republic of China, and covered the entirety of Chinese territory until 1949, the year in which a Civil War started in 1927 between the Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party, in which they disputed the power and control of the country.

The winning side was the communist, who from 1949 established the second republic under the name of the People's Republic of China, currently located throughout the continental territory.

Thereafter, the ROC was de facto reduced to the territory of the province of Taiwan, an island located opposite the things of the Chinese province of Fujian. The ROC is mostly known only as Taiwan or Chinese Taipei.

The Republic of China establishes in its Constitution that its territory is made up of the island of Taiwan and all the provinces dominated by the People's Republic.

However, in reality, Taiwan and the People's Republic function as two separate governments.

5. It is a socialist state with a market economy

Starting in 1979, the Chinese economy stopped being planned and completely state-owned, and became a socialist market economy.

Although politically, China maintains a communist form of government in which the state controls all aspects, its economic system is governed by the logic of the free market, but still with a certain level of state intervention.

Within this model, the Chinese State has certain companies in strategic sectors, which compete in the market together with private companies for the functioning of the economy. Chinese private companies other than state-owned companies number more than 30 million.

Furthermore, the State does not intervene in the designation of prices in the market, wages and private property.

In such a way, China, which defines itself politically as a Socialist State, but operates with an economic model of State capitalism that has made it one of the strongest economies on the planet.

6. Their civilization is one of the oldest in the world

According to the Archaeological Institute of America, different archaeological remains found in China indicate that the first humans to inhabit their region date back to between 0.25 and 2.24 million years.

This makes it one of the oldest civilizations with human traces in the world.

7. Establish freedom of worship

In China, freedom of worship is constitutionally established. Even so, their society has been highly influenced for several millennia by three main religions: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.

However, the practice of religions not approved by the State can lead to political persecution of those who practice them.

8. The State restricts political and civil liberties to citizens

The central government of China exercises strong political control over its citizens which means the restriction or complete violation of constitutionally established human rights in the country.

According to reports by international organizations and non-governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, Freedom House, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, in China there are constant attacks on freedom of expression, association, information, the press, free movement, of free worship, among others.

Some practical examples are:

• Blocking web pages such as Google, Yahoo and blocking any content prohibited by the State on all web platforms (generally all content that promotes ideas against the government).
• Strong control of content transmitted through the media by members of the Chinese Communist Party and political persecution against those who transmit information contrary to the government.
• Prohibition of the freedom of free association of citizens in political parties or unions. The existing ones are monopolized in practice by the Chinese Communist Party.
• Political persecution, imprisonment and torture of activists who dissent from the government.

9. It is one of the fastest growing economies in recent decades

Since the 1980s, the Chinese economy has been the fastest growing in the world, obtaining an average annual economic growth of 10% since then.

This is, in part, thanks to the fact that it is also the main industrial power in the world, being the center of the manufacture of all kinds of goods.

10. It is the third most biodiverse country on Earth

China is the third country to have a greater diversity of flora and fauna within its territory. It is home to around 551 species of mammals, 1,200 species of birds, 330 of amphibians and 440 of reptiles.

On the other hand, it is estimated that in China there are more than 32 thousand species of plants. Its subtropical forests are home to more than 146,000 species of flora and more than 10,000 species of fungi.

At least 15% of its territory is legally protected for the protection of endangered species.

Sources

1. Archaeological Institute of America (2000). Early Homo erectus Tools in China. Retrieved July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: archeology.org
2. Macrodata (sf). China registers an increase in its population. Accessed July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: datosmacro.com
3. China Internet Information Center (nd). China's Political System. Accessed July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: china.org.cn
4. From Paul University (2013). China: Market Socialism or Capitalism?. Retrieved July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: dschwei.sites.luc.edu
5. International Monetary Fund. Report for Selected Countries and Subjects: China. Retrieved July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: imf.org
6. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 18, 2017 on the World Wide Web: Wikipedia.org.