Mainland China
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2008-07-16T14:09:37Z
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/* View of the term by groups */ balance between Chinese and Taiwanes POV on Taiwan
{{Chinese|t=中國大陸|s=中国大陆|showflag=pj|j=jung1 gwok3 daai6 luk6|p=Zhōnggúo Dàlù|order=ts}}
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'''Mainland China''', '''Continental China''', or simply '''the mainland''', is a [[geopolitics|geopolitical]] term usually synonymous with the area currently governed by the [[People's Republic of China]] (PRC), including off-shore islands.
The term does not include the two [[Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China|Special Administrative Regions]] (SARs) of [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]]; or [[Taiwan]], claimed but not ruled by the People's Republic.
In common usage the term Taiwan includes the islands of [[Penghu]], [[Kinmen]] and [[Matsu islands|Matsu]].
==Introduction==
[[Image:MainlandChina.png|thumb|260px|right|The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as "mainland China".]]
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".<ref>Jeshurun, Chandran. [1993] (1993). China, India, Japan and the Security of Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 9813016612. pg 146.</ref> It excludes the area controlled by the retreating Kuomintang, as well as the then colonies of Hong Kong and Macau.<ref>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.</ref> Since the return of Hong Kong and Macau to Chinese sovereignty in [[Transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong|1997]] and [[Transfer of sovereignty of Macau|1999]] respectively, "Mainland China" generally continues to exclude these territories, because of the "[[One country, two systems]]" policy adopted by the [[State Council of the People's Republic of China|PRC central government]] towards the SARs.<ref name="LegCo1">LegCo. "[http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr06-07/english/bc/bc56/papers/bc561008cb2-2767-1-e.pdf Legislative council HK]." ''Mainland Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Bill.'' Retrieved on [[2008-03-10]].</ref> The term is also used in economic indicators, such as the [[International Institute for Management Development|IMD]] Competitiveness Report.
==View of the term by groups==
*In [[Taiwan]], the term "[[Mainlander]]" can also refer to ''waishengren'' ({{zh-cp|c=外省人|p=wàishěngrén|l=external province person(s)}}), or the people who emigrated to Taiwan from Mainland China with the [[Kuomintang]](KMT) near and after the end of the [[Chinese Civil War]] in [[1949]]; and their children, who were 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.<ref>Apdrc.org. "[http://www.apdrc.org.tw/apdrc/web/identity.htm Apdrc.org]." ''Taiwan's Identity Politics.'' Retrieved on [[2008-03-10]].</ref> The term "Mainland" can also refer to ''dalu'' ({{zh-stp|s=大陆|t=大陸|p=dàlù}}), meaning a people who live on the mainland. An example is the [[Mainland Affairs Council]] of ROC.<ref>Mac.gov.tw. "[http://www.mac.gov.tw/ Mac.gov.tw]." ''Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council.'' Retrieved on [[2008-03-10]].</ref>
* Supporters of [[Taiwanese independence]] also frequently disfavour the use of the term as it implied a geographical extension or relation to China. In mainland China itself, the term ({{zh-stp|s=内地|t=內地|p=nèidì}}), literally ''the inland''. The term has gained popularity in use in place of the term "mainland", particularly after the return of the SARs.{{Fact|date=March 2007}}
* In Hong Kong and Macau, the term "mainland China" and "mainlander" is frequently used for people from China mainland. For political correctness, the term (內地) 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.<ref>Cmab.gov.hk. "[http://www.cmab.gov.hk/ Cmab.gov.hk]." ''Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau.'' Retrieved on [[2008-03-10]].</ref>
* In the PRC, the inland term (內地) 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).<ref name="LegCo1" />
==Others==
Other use of geography-related terms are also often used where neutrality is required.
{|class="wikitable"
! width=10% | Simplified<br>Chinese
! width=10% | Traditional<br>Chinese
! width=10% | Pinyin
! width=10% | Jyutping
! width=60% | 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"
|-
|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==
{{reflist}}
http://www.imd.ch/research/publications/wcy/World-Competitiveness-Yearbook-2008-Results.cfm
http://www.imd.ch/research/publications/wcy/upload/scoreboard.pdf
==See also ==
* [[Mainlander]]
* [[Greater China]]
* [[Mainland]]
* [[Free China (Second Sino-Japanese War)|Free China]]
* [[Free Area of the Republic of China]]
{{Template group
|title = Language
|list =
{{Territories of Greater China}}
}}
{{Territorial disputes in East and South Asia}}
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[[Category:Territorial disputes of the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of the Republic of China]]
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[[de:Festlandschina]]
[[es:China continental]]
[[fr:Chine continentale]]
[[ko:중국 대륙]]
[[id:Cina Daratan]]
[[it:Cina continentale]]
[[ms:Tanah besar China]]
[[nl:Vasteland van China]]
[[ja:中国大陸]]
[[no:Fastlandskina]]
[[nn:Fastlandskina]]
[[pt:China continental]]
[[simple:Mainland China]]
[[fi:Manner-Kiina]]
[[sv:Fastlandskina]]
[[vi:Trung Hoa đại lục]]
[[zh-yue:中國大陸]]
[[zh:中国大陆]]