Mainland China

Mainland China, also known as the Chinese

mainland, is the geopolitical and geographical area
Mainland China
under the direct jurisdiction of the People's Republic Simplified Chinese
of China (PRC). It includes Hainan, which is an island, Traditional Chinese
and excludes the special administrative regions of
Hong Kong and Macau, even though both are Literal meaning Continental
partially on the geographic mainland (continental China
landmass). Transcriptions

There are two terms in Chinese for "mainland": Standard Mandarin

Hanyu Pinyin Zhōnggúo Dàlù
Dàlù ( ; ), which means 'the continent', and Bopomofo ˊ ˋ ˋ
Nèidì ( ; ), literally 'inland' or 'inner land' in
Gwoyeu Jonggwo Dahluh
relation to Hong Kong and Macau.
Romatzyh
In the PRC, the usage of the two terms is strictly Wade–Giles Chung¹-Kuo² Ta⁴-
speaking not interchangeable. To emphasize "equal lu⁴
footing" in Cross-Strait relations, the term must be Tongyong Jhonggúo Dàlù
used in PRC's official contexts with reference to
Pinyin
Taiwan, with the PRC referring to itself as " mainland
side" in relation to "Taiwan side"). But in PRC's MPS2 Jūng-gúo Dà-lù
relations with Hong Kong and Macau, the PRC Wu
government refers to itself as "the Central People's
Romanization tson koh du
Government".
loh
"Mainland area" is the complementary term to "free Yue: Cantonese
area of the Republic of China" used in the ROC Jyutping zung1 gwok3
Constitution.[1] daai6 luk6
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ Tiong-kok Tāi-lio̍ k
Contents
Eastern Min
Background Fuzhou BUC Dṳ̆ng-guók Dâi-
Political use lṳ̆k
Mainland China Alternative Chinese name
Hong Kong and Macau Simplified Chinese
Taiwan
Traditional Chinese
Other terms
Literal meaning Inland
See also China
Notes Transcriptions
References Standard Mandarin
Citations Hanyu Pinyin Zhōnggúo Nèidì
Sources Wu
External links Romanization tson koh ne di
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping zung1 gwok3 noi6
Background dei6
Southern Min
In the 1930s, the region faced Japanese invasion.[2]
By 1949, the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Hokkien POJ Tiong-kok lōe-tē /
People's Liberation Army had largely defeated the lōe-tōe
Kuomintang (KMT)'s National Revolutionary Army in
the Chinese Civil War on the mainland. This forced the Kuomintang to relocate the
Government and institutions of the Republic of China to the relative safety of Taiwan,
an island which was placed under the control of the Republic of China after the
surrender of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945. With the establishment of the
People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, the CPC-controlled government saw
itself as the sole legitimate government of China,[3] competing with the claims of the
Republic of China, whose authority is now limited to Taiwan and other islands. This
has resulted in a situation in which two co-existing governments compete for
international legitimacy and recognition as the "government of China".

The phrase "mainland China" emerged as a politically neutral term to refer to the
area under control of the Communist Party of China, and later to the administration
of the PRC itself. Until the late 1970s, both the PRC and ROC envisioned a military
takeover of the other. During this time the ROC referred to the PRC government as
"Communist Bandits" ( ) while the PRC referred to the ROC as "Chiang Bandits" (
). Later, as a military solution became less feasible, the ROC referred to the PRC as
"Communist China"" ( ). With the democratization of Taiwan in the 1990s, the
phrase "mainland China" soon grew to mean not only the area under the control of
the Communist Party of China, but also a more neutral means to refer to the People's
Republic of China government; this usage remains prevalent by the KMT today.

Due to their status as colonies of foreign states during the establishment of the
People's Republic of China in 1949, the phrase "mainland China" excludes Hong
Kong and Macau.[4] Since the return of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese
sovereignty in 1997 and 1999, respectively, the two territories have retained their
legal, political, and economic systems. The territories also have their distinct
identities. Therefore, "mainland China" generally continues to exclude these
territories, because of the "One country, two systems" policy adopted by the PRC
central government towards the regions.[5] The term is also used in economic
indicators, such as the IMD Competitiveness Report. International news media often
use "China" to refer only to mainland China or the People's Republic of China.

Political use

Mainland China

In the People's Republic of China, the term ('inland') is often contrasted with the
term ('outside the border') for things outside the mainland region. Examples
include "Administration of Foreign-funded Banks" ( ) or the
"Measures on Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Insurance
Institutions" ( ).[5]
Hainan is an offshore island, therefore geographically not part of the continental
mainland. Nevertheless, politically it is common practice to consider it part of the
mainland because its government, legal and political systems do not differ from the
rest of the People's Republic within the geographical mainland. Nonetheless,
Hainanese people still refer to the geographic mainland as "the mainland" and call
its residents "mainlanders".[6] In some coastal provinces such as Guangdong, Fujian
and Jiangsu, people often call the area of non-coastal provinces in of mainland China
as "Inland" ( ).

Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong and Macau are both sovereign territories of the People's Republic of
China. However, due to the One Country Two Systems policy, the two regions
maintain a high degree of autonomy, hence why they are considered not to be part of
mainland China.

Geologically speaking, Hong Kong and Macau are both connected to mainland China
in certain areas (e.g. the north of the New Territories). Additionally, the islands
contained within Hong Kong (e.g. Hong Kong Island) and Macau are much closer to
mainland China than Taiwan and Hainan, and are much smaller.

In Hong Kong and Macau, the terms "mainland China" and "mainlander" are
frequently used for people from PRC-governed areas (i.e. not Taiwan, Hong Kong,
and Macau). The Chinese term Neidi ( ), meaning the inland but still translated
mainland in English, is commonly applied by SAR governments to represent non-SAR
areas of PRC, including Hainan province and coastal regions of mainland China, such
as "Constitutional and Mainland Affairs" ( )[7] and Immigration
Departments.[8] In the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangement (as well as the Mainland and Macau Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangement) the CPG also uses the Chinese characters "inner land", with the
note that they refer to the "customs territory of China". [9]

Taiwan

In Taiwan, there are differing opinions as to the neutrality of the term "mainland
China". However, the term is considered somewhat more neutral than historical
terms used to describe the territories under the control of the People's Republic of
China (PRC) (which is in turn led by the Communist Party of China (CPC)).

Since 1949, the Republic of China on Taiwan (led by the Kuomintang/Nationalists

(KMT/GMD)) has referred to the territories under the control of the Chinese
Communist Party with several different names, e.g. "(territory controlled by the)
Communist bandits", "occupied/unfree area (of China)" (as opposed to the "free area
of the Republic of China"), "Communist China" (as opposed to either "Nationalist
China" or "Democratic China"), "Red China" (as opposed to "Blue China"), and
"mainland China (area)". In modern times, the term "Communist bandits" is
generally considered both inflammatory and offensive by supporters of the
Kuomintang and other Pan-Blue political parties [the KMT and other aligned parties
believe that "China" encompasses both sides of the Taiwan Strait[10]], so it is no
longer used by them. Similarly, terms implying illegal occupation (of the mainland) or
an intent to reclaim the mainland tend not to be used by both Pan-Blue and Pan-
Green individuals. Therefore, only the terms "Communist China" or "mainland China"
are still commonly used by Taiwanese (Chinese) people aligned with Pan-Blue
ideologies. Somewhat synonymous to the term "Communist China" is the term
"People's Republic of China (PRC)" (which is either considered to encompass Hong
Kong and Macau or isn't, due to the confusion and ambiguity of One Country Two
Systems). Meanwhile, the term "mainland China" is often simply abbreviated to "the
mainland" among speakers of Chinese in Taiwan or from Taiwan.

However, the Pan-Green Coalition in Taiwan, led by the Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP) [the DPP and other aligned parties usually support Taiwanese independence to
a certain degree], tend to be opposed to suggestions that Taiwan is part of
China,[10][11] regardless of the subtlety of said suggestions. Referring to the
territories under the control of the Chinese Communist Party as "mainland China"
suggests that Taiwan is part of China. That is, the term "mainland China" suggests
that Taiwan is a "satellite island" of China, and that Taiwan is tethered to China
(much in the same way that one might say that "Kinmen is tethered to Taiwan").
Therefore, Pan-Green individuals tend to prefer the term "China", rather than
"mainland China", since the term "China" suggests that Taiwan and China are two
separate countries. Pan-Green Taiwanese might also prefer to refer to China as
"Communist China" or "the People's Republic of China (PRC)" or "Red China".
However, these terms suggest that there exist "two Chinas". Certain Pan-Green
Taiwanese believe that there exist "two Chinas" and that the Republic of China (ROC)
and Taiwan are one and the same, so they would be more inclined to use these terms
(compared to those who believe that the ROC is illegally occupying Taiwan).
Individuals in Taiwan who are aligned with Pan-Green ideologies might be more
inclined to refer to the People's Republic of China as "the Communist bandits" or
"occupied/unfree area" (compared to those aligned with Pan-Blue ideologies), due to
their negative (or indifferent) views towards mainland China and the Chinese
Communist Party, though they generally don't have any intention of "reclaiming the
mainland".

Other terms
Other use of geography-related terms are also often used where neutrality is
required.
Simplified Traditional Hokkien
Pinyin Jyutping Description
Chinese Chinese POJ

Hoi2
Hái-kiap The physical shores on both sides of
Hǎixiá haap6
lióng- the straits, may be translated as "two
liǎng'àn loeng5 gān shores".
ngon6

loeng5 Reference to the Taiwan Strait (cross-

lióng-
liǎng'àn ngon6 Strait relations, literally "relations
gān
guānxì gwaan1 koan-hē
between the two sides/shores [of the
hai6 Strait of Taiwan]").

loeng5 An extension of this is the phrase "two

lióng- shores, three places", with "three
liǎng'àn ngon6
gān places" meaning mainland China,
sāndì saam1
sam-tè Taiwan, and either Hong Kong or
dei6 Macau.
When referring to either Hong Kong or
loeng5 lióng-
liǎng'àn Macau, or "two shores, four places"
ngon6 gān sù-
sìdì when referring to both Hong Kong and
sei3 dei6 tè
Macau.

See also
China proper
Free area of the Republic of China
Free China
Greater China
Mainlander
Captive Nations

Overview of administrative divisions of Taiwan

Republic of China

Free area[i] Mainland area

Provinces[iii]
Special municipalities[G][ii]
Counties[G] Cities[G][iv]
Mountain indigenous Not
Districts[O] Townships/cities[G][v] Districts[O]
districts[G] administered

Villages[O][vi]
Neighborhoods

Notes
[G] Has an administrative body with an elected leader and a legislative body with
elected members
[O] Has a governmental office for managing local affairs and carrying out
commissioned tasks by superior agency

Notes
 i. Also known as the Taiwan area or Tai–Min area (Chinese: ; lit.: 'Taiwan–Fujian
area')
ii. In Chinese, special municipalities, cities, and county-administered cities have the
word shi (Chinese: ; lit.: 'city') in their official names
iii. Nominal; provincial governments have been abolished
iv. Cities are sometimes called provincial cities (Chinese: ) to distinguish them
from the other two types of cities.
v. In Chinese, there are two types of townships: xīang (Chinese: ) and zhèng
(Chinese: ); there is little practical difference between the two
vi. In Chinese, villages of xīang townships are known as tsūn (Chinese: ), those of
other types are known as lǐ (Chinese: )

References

Citations
1. Additional Articles to the Republic of China Constitution (http://www.taiwandocume
nts.org/constitution04.htm), 6th Revision, 2000
2. "...imperial Japan launched its invasion of the Chinese mainland in the 1930s" The
Two Koreas and the Great Powers, Cambridge University Press, 2006, page 43.
3. Jeshurun, Chandran, ed. (1993). China, India, Japan and the Security of Southeast
Asia. Singapore: ISEAS. p. 146. ISBN 9813016612.
4. So, Alvin Y.; Lin, Nan; Poston, Dudley L., eds. (2001). The Chinese Triangle of
mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong : comparative institutional analyses.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313308697.
5. LegCo. "Legislative council HK (http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr06-07/english/bc/bc56/pa
pers/bc561008cb2-2767-1-e.pdf)." Mainland Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement)
Bill. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
6. (http://wenwen.sogou.com/z/q192508057.htm).
wenwen.sogou.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
7. Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. "Constitutional and
Mainland Affairs Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of the People's Republic of China (http://www.cmab.gov.hk/)." Constitutional
and Mainland Affairs Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
8. Chinese version (http://www.immd.gov.hk/zhtml/facts_3_0.htm) Archived (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20091127190454/http://www.immd.gov.hk/zhtml/facts_3_0.ht
m) 2009-11-27 at the Wayback Machine, English version (http://www.immd.gov.hk/
ehtml/facts_3_0.htm) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20090204183751/htt
p://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/facts_3_0.htm) 2009-02-04 at the Wayback Machine,
Statistics on Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (
), Immigration Department (Hong Kong).
9. English Text (http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/files/main_e.pdf) Chinese text (htt
p://www.locpg.gov.cn/big5/jmwl/cepa/cepaxy/200702/t20070225_1844.asp)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20110707035638/http://www.locpg.gov.cn/bi
g5/jmwl/cepa/cepaxy/200702/t20070225_1844.asp) 2011-07-07 at the Wayback
Machine
10. Wachman, Alan (1994). Taiwan: National Identity and Democratization. M.E.
Sharpe. p. 81.
11. DPP is firm on China name issue (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archive
s/2012/07/23/2003538429). Taipei Times (2013-07-14). Retrieved on 2013-07-21.

Sources
[1] (http://www.imd.ch/research/publications/wcy/World-Competitiveness-Yearbook-
2008-Results.cfm)
www.imd.org. "THE WORLD COMPETITIVENESS SCOREBOARD 2011" (http://www.im
d.ch/research/publications/wcy/upload/scoreboard.pdf) (PDF). IMD INTERNATIONAL.

External links
Economic profile for mainland China (http://www.hktdc.com/info/vp/a/ctde/en/1/1/1/
1X06BPS5/China-Trade/Market-Profile-on-Chinese-Mainland.htm) at HKTDC

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