The Zhonghua minzu (sometimes translated as "Chinese nation"), a supra-ethnic concept which includes the Han, Zhuang, Tibetans, and other established ethnic groups who have lived within the borders of China since at least the Qing Dynasty (1644?1911). This definition stems from a nationality perspective. However, it includes most overseas Chinese. This definition of "Chinese" is controversial outside China and not widely used in English.
A person of Han Chinese ancestry is often simply referred to as "Chinese" or "ethnic Chinese" in Western countries, though this usage is politically incorrect when used to the exclusion of non-Han Chinese. This definition stems from a genealogical perspective. Note that some overseas Chinese people may not necessarily identify with either the PRC or the ROC. Because so many non-Chinese peoples were assimilated into Chinese culture and became Han Chinese the term is not racial anymore, and DNA has shown that Han Chinese are not a single ethnic group but an amalgamation of many peoples.
Many factors must be considered when deciding whether a person is Chinese. Apart from nationality (legal) reasons, place of residence (geographical factors), race (biological reasons), and ancestry (historical and genealogical factors).