Country name
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

Data code CH

Government type Communist state

National 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'ingDynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established1 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; rudimentarycivil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since1 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) and Vice President RONGYiren (since 27 March 1993)
head of government: Premier LI Peng (acting premier since 24 November 1987, premier since9 April 1988); Vice Premiers ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991), ZOU Jiahua (since8 April 1991), QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993),WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National People's Congressfor five-year terms; election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held NAMarch 1998); premier and vice premiers nominated by the president, confirmedby the National People's Congress
election results: JIANG Zemin elected by the Eighth National People's Congress; percentof National People's Congress vote - NA

Legislative branch unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui(2,977 seats; members indirectly elected at county or xian level to servefive-year terms)
elections: last held NA March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the National People's Congress

Political parties and leaders Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of theCentral Committee; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders no meaningful political opposition groups exist

International organization participation AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending member), CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), Mekong Group, MINURSO,NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the 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

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador James R. SASSER
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
FAX : [86] (10) 6532-6422
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag description red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointedstars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upperhoist-side corner

NOTE: The information regarding China on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of China Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about China Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.