The Basics
Area: 3.705 million square miles; nearly 4 times the size of the UK and about half the size of Russia
Population: 1.357 billion (2013); over 10 times that of the UK and Russia
Capital: Beijing
GDP: $9.24 trillion; about 4 times the GDP of Russia and the UK
GDP Per Capita: $6,807.43; even though GDP is high, population is so large that per capita GDP is very low
Area: 3.705 million square miles; nearly 4 times the size of the UK and about half the size of Russia
Population: 1.357 billion (2013); over 10 times that of the UK and Russia
Capital: Beijing
GDP: $9.24 trillion; about 4 times the GDP of Russia and the UK
GDP Per Capita: $6,807.43; even though GDP is high, population is so large that per capita GDP is very low
Political History
221 BCE - 1644 BCE
Qin Dynasty -Other dynasties
1644 BCE - 1911
Qing Dynasty
1839 - 1842
Opium Wars
1912
Founding of National Peoples Party by Sung Chiao-Jen
1921
Founding of Chinese Communist Party
1927
Shanghai Massacre begins civil war
1931
Japan Invades
1934 - 1935
The Long March
1949
Peoples Republic of China established by Mao Zedong
1958 - 1960
Great Leap Forward
1960 - 1966
Market orientation economic rebuilding plus centralized planning by Deng Xiaoping and Lui Shaoqui
1966 - 1978
Cultural Revolution
1976
Death of Mao Zedong
1989
Democracy movement, Jiang Zemin becomes head of CPC
1993
Jiang Zemin becomes head of PRC
2000
China joins WTO
2003
Hu Jintao becomes president of PRC
2012
Xi Jinping elected CPC General Secretary
2013
Xi Jinping become President of PRC
221 BCE - 1644 BCE
Qin Dynasty -Other dynasties
1644 BCE - 1911
Qing Dynasty
1839 - 1842
Opium Wars
1912
Founding of National Peoples Party by Sung Chiao-Jen
1921
Founding of Chinese Communist Party
1927
Shanghai Massacre begins civil war
1931
Japan Invades
1934 - 1935
The Long March
1949
Peoples Republic of China established by Mao Zedong
1958 - 1960
Great Leap Forward
1960 - 1966
Market orientation economic rebuilding plus centralized planning by Deng Xiaoping and Lui Shaoqui
1966 - 1978
Cultural Revolution
1976
Death of Mao Zedong
1989
Democracy movement, Jiang Zemin becomes head of CPC
1993
Jiang Zemin becomes head of PRC
2000
China joins WTO
2003
Hu Jintao becomes president of PRC
2012
Xi Jinping elected CPC General Secretary
2013
Xi Jinping become President of PRC
Current Political System
*Government and Party are parallel institutions*
Legislative System:
National People's Congress
Central Committee
Executive System:
President & Premier
State Council
Central Military Commission
Judicial System
-Similar to America's system
Supreme People's Court
Supreme Peoples Procuratorate
*There are a series of local, intermediate, and higher courts that create a hierarchy of courts with the Supreme People's Court at the top
*Government and Party are parallel institutions*
Legislative System:
National People's Congress
- 2,985 Members = Largest parliamentary body in the world
- Main Functions: legislation, supervision, appointment and removal of officials, and making decisions on major issues.
- Elected by China's provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the armed forces
- Delegates hold office for 5 years
- Has basically become the equivalent of The Queen in the UK. As in, they only exist to sign and stamp legislation created and passed by the Standing Committee.
- 70% of members are also Party members and their loyalty is with the party
Central Committee
- 159 Members, meet every couple of months
- Real power is with 9 members of the politburo who are part of the 25 member Standing Committee
- Most members have allegiances with the Communist Party (which is why the Party has most control of the Chinese regime)
Executive System:
President & Premier
- President - (Currently Xi Jinping) - Elected by NPC, nominated by CPC, head of state, doesn't have much constitutional power however many past presidents also hold a high position within the Party which allows them to amplify their power, serves 5 year term
- Premier - (Currently Li Keqiang) - Head of the State Council, Elected by NPC, Nominated by CPC, serves 5 year term
- Both serve on Central Military Commission as well
State Council
- Headed by the Premier
- Sort of like a parliamentary cabinet
Central Military Commission
- Oversees People's Liberation Army
- National defense organization
- Supervised (like most aspects of the gov.) by the Standing Committee
Judicial System
-Similar to America's system
Supreme People's Court
- Highest court, handles criminal cases that are passed up by lower courts
- Composed of 16 Justices
- Appellate Jurisdiction
- Responsible to NPC
Supreme Peoples Procuratorate
- Investigates cases of suspected illegal activity & prosecute constitutionally
- Procurate General supervises courts
*There are a series of local, intermediate, and higher courts that create a hierarchy of courts with the Supreme People's Court at the top
Current Primary Problems
Economy - China's prosperity is solely dependent upon a growth rate of at least 8% which is already extremely high and is, in reality, not sustainable. With the current structuring, it is unlikely that China will be able to sustain this growth (and it is currently decreasing which makes this an all the more pressing matter).
Failure to encourage a middle class - Most people in China are part of the lower class and are highly impoverished, then there are the high class/rich folk. There are little policies in place that will help a middle class emerge a grow. Lower class citizens have too many economic obstacles to be able to transcend and join the middle class like housing prices and inability to gain returns on investment
Economy - China's prosperity is solely dependent upon a growth rate of at least 8% which is already extremely high and is, in reality, not sustainable. With the current structuring, it is unlikely that China will be able to sustain this growth (and it is currently decreasing which makes this an all the more pressing matter).
Failure to encourage a middle class - Most people in China are part of the lower class and are highly impoverished, then there are the high class/rich folk. There are little policies in place that will help a middle class emerge a grow. Lower class citizens have too many economic obstacles to be able to transcend and join the middle class like housing prices and inability to gain returns on investment