por 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 km², and the most populous.
Its official language is Mandarin, spoken by more than 1,100 million people -and thus it is the most spoken language in the world-, but there are also different Chinese languages that have official recognition in certain provinces, such as Cantonese, the wu and the mongolian.
Its official currency is the renminbi, also known as the Chinese yuan. It is one of the currencies used as a reserve by the International Monetary Fund.
The People’s Republic that remains to this day was founded in 1949 by the Chinese Communist Party, after the end of the Chinese civil war (1927-1949) between it and the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang). 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 populous country in the world
It is estimated that the population of China reached a figure of 1,412,600,000 (one thousand four hundred twelve billion six hundred thousand) inhabitants by the end of 2021, making 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).
There are legally eight parties other than the PCC in the country, 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.
3. Divided into 22 provinces
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 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.
These 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 or 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 Republic of China
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 entire Chinese territory until 1949, the year in which a civil war culminated, which began 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 Taiwan Province, an island located off the coast of Fujian Province of China. The ROC is mostly known just 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 ceased to be planned and completely state-owned, and became a socialist market economy.
Despite the fact that China politically 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 with a certain level of state intervention.
Within this model, the Chinese State owns certain companies in strategic sectors, which compete in the market with private companies for the operation of the economy. Chinese private companies other than state-owned are located at more than 30 million.
In addition, the State does not intervene in the designation of market prices, wages and private property.
In this way, China defines itself politically as a socialist state, but it works 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 are between 0.25 and 2.24 million years old.
This makes it one of the oldest civilizations with human traces in the world.
7. Establishes 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 from international non-governmental organizations and 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, press, free movement, of free worship, among others.
Some practical examples are:
– Blocking of web pages such as Google, Yahoo and blocking of any content prohibited by the State on all web platforms (generally all content that promotes anti-government ideas).
– Strong control of the 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 disagree with 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, achieving 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 amphibians and 440 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.
11. Space investigations
Currently, China is one of the countries with plans to establish its own space station. In this sense, since 2021 three astronauts alternate in space to build the Chinese space station, called Tiangong (“heavenly palace”). All the technology is Chinese.
12. Environmental concern
China is, along with the United States, the biggest polluter on the planet. Due to the high pollution rates in its main cities, it has carried out projects to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy. One of the most ambitious is the construction of a solar plant in space.
13. Numerous inventions
Since ancient times, China has proven to be an innovative country. In this country, paper was invented in the first century AD, ink (ink is a Chinese word), toothbrushes, toilet paper, gunpowder, the chain pump for extracting water, irrigation canals, plows with protruding wings and a very long etcetera.
14. Isolationism
China, for millennia, was oriented towards isolationism: it was not interested in expanding its culture or conquering new lands. In fact, gunpowder was invented there, but it was used for fireworks, not to make military weapons, with which they could have easily dominated other territories.
15. Architecture
His most emblematic work is the Great Wall, a fortification begun in the 5th century BC and completed in the 16th. It was designed and built to protect the northern border of the Chinese Empire, hit by Mongol and Manchurian attacks. They also built aqueducts, bridges, large buildings with curved roofs, and the Forbidden City, a palace complex built between 1406 and 1420.
References
China registers an increase in its population. Retrieved from datamacro.com
China’s Political System. Retrieved from china.org.cn