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Mainland China
Traditional Chinese: 中國大陸
Simplified Chinese: 中国大陆
The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as "mainland China".
 This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China (PRC), usually excluding the territories of Hong Kong and Macau. The term never includes Taiwan, which is claimed by the PRC, but is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China (ROC).

In English, it is not uncommon for a reference to "China" to mean "mainland China".

The term in Chinese includes Hainan Island if used in a political sense and excludes it if used in a geographical sense.

Contents

Background

There has been a struggle between the two Chinese entities since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when the Communist Party of China defeated the Republic of China, which was led by the Kuomintang (KMT, Chinese Nationalist Party). This led to the establishment of the PRC, which has since been based on "Mainland China".1 It excludes the area controlled by the retreating Kuomintang, as well as the then colonies of Hong Kong and Macau.2 Since the return of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and 1999 respectively, "Mainland China" generally continues to exclude these territories, because of the "One country, two systems" policy adopted by the PRC central government towards the SARs.3 The term is also used in economic indicators, such as the IMD Competitiveness Report.

Usage of the term

The term is variously capitalised Mainland China or mainland China (or the Mainland/the mainland) by authoritative users.

In Taiwan

In Taiwan, the term "Mainlander" can also refer to waishengren (Chinese: 外省人; pinyin: wàishěngrén), which are the people who emigrated to Taiwan from Mainland China with the Kuomintang (KMT) around the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, as well as their descendants born in Taiwan. The status of waishengren in Taiwan is a divisive political issue. For many years mainlanders were given special treatment by the KMT government which had imposed martial law on Taiwan. More recently, pro-Taiwan independence politicians calling into question their loyalty and devotion to Taiwan and pro-Chinese reunification politicians accusing the pro-independence politicians of playing identity politics.4 The term "Mainland" can also refer to dalu (traditional Chinese: 大陸; simplified Chinese: 大陆; pinyin: dàlù), meaning a people who live on the mainland. An example is the Mainland Affairs Council of ROC.5

Supporters of Taiwanese independence also frequently disfavour the use of the term as it implied a geographical extension or relation to China.

In Hong Kong and Macau

In Hong Kong and Macau, the term "mainland China" and "mainlander" is frequently used for people from China mainland. This usage is not geographically accurate, however, as much of the land area of both Hong Kong and Macau are peninsulas connected to the continent. For geographical and political correctness, the term 內地, meaning "the inland", has become the most common in the region. Official government groups such as "Constitutional and Mainland Affairs" (政制及內地事務局) is an examples that use the inland term.6

In Mainland China

In the PRC, the term 內地 ("Inland") is often separated by the external term (國外) or (外國) for things outside of the mainland region. Examples include "Administration of Foreign-funded Banks" (中華人民共和國外資銀行管理條例) or the "Measures on Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Insurance Institutions" (外國保險機構駐華代表機構管理辦法).3

In Hainan

One province of China. It is an island. 7

Others

Other use of geography-related terms are also often used where neutrality is required.

Simplified
Chinese		 Traditional
Chinese		 Pinyin Jyutping Description
两岸关系 兩岸關係 liǎng'àn guānxì loeng5 ngon6 gwaan1 hai6 Reference to the Taiwan Strait (Cross-Strait relations, literally "relations between the two sides/shores of the Strait of Taiwan)
海峡两岸 海峽兩岸 Hǎixiá liǎng'àn hoi2 haap6 loeng5 ngon6 The physical shores on both sides of the straits, "two shores" may be used.
两岸三地 兩岸三地 liǎng'àn sāndì loeng5 ngon6 saam1 dei6 An extension of this is the term "two shores, three places", with "three places" meaning mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
两岸四地 兩岸四地 liǎng'àn sìdì loeng5 ngon6 sei3 dei6 When referring to either Hong Kong or Macau, or "two shores, four places" when referring to both Hong Kong and Macau

References

  1. ^ Jeshurun, Chandran. [1993] (1993). China, India, Japan and the Security of Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 9813016612. pg 146.
  2. ^ So, Alvin Y. Lin, Nan. Poston, Dudley L. Contributor Professor, So, Alvin Y. [2001] (2001). The Chinese Triangle of Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Greenwood Publishing. ISBN 0313308691.
  3. ^ a b LegCo. "Legislative council HK." Mainland Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Bill. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  4. ^ Apdrc.org. "Apdrc.org." Taiwan's Identity Politics. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  5. ^ Mac.gov.tw. "Mac.gov.tw." Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  6. ^ Cmab.gov.hk. "Cmab.gov.hk." Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  7. ^ Baidu Zhidao: The Hainan Issue

See also

External links


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