<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: China<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> People's Republic of China
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> China
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Zhong Guo
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<item><hi format=bold>Abbreviation:</hi> PRC
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> CH
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> Communist state
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Beijing
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing Shi**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai Shi**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin Shi**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> China considers Taiwan its 23rd province
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<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, 1 October (1949)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> most recent promulgated 4 December 1982
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993); election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results—JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth National People's Congress
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government (de facto):</hi> DENG Xiaoping (since NA 1977)
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since 24 November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988) Vice Premier ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993); Vice Premier LI Lanqing (29 March 1993)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> State Council; containing 28 ministers and 8 state commissions and appointed by the National People's Congress (March 1993)
<item><hi format=bold>National People's Congress:</hi> (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui) elections last held March 1993 (next to be held March 1998); results—CCP is the only party but there are also independents; seats—(2,977 total) (elected at county or xian level)
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee (since 24 June 1989); eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> such meaningful opposition as exists consists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and government organization, that vary by issue
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UNTSO, UN Trusteeship Council, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador LI Daoyu
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
<item>• <hi format=ital>telephone:</hi> (202) 328-2500 through 2502
<item>• <hi format=ital>consulate(s) general:</hi> Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner