Mainland China, Continental China, or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term usually synonymous with the area that is culturally and legally associated with the territory of the People's Republic of China (PRC) currently under the direct political control of Beijing. This means that the term usually does not include the two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau, and never includes Taiwan, which although claimed by the PRC, has never in practise been governed by it. The term in the Chinese language may or may not include Hainan Island, which is geographically separate.
In English speech and writing, the distinction is not always made, and a reference to "China" is an implicit reference to the PRC, but this usage may or may not include Hong Kong and Macao.
In common usage the term "Taiwan" includes the islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.
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".[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.
View of the term by groups
In Taiwan, the term "Mainlander" can also refer to waishengren (), 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.[4] The term "Mainland" can also refer to dalu (), 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 mainland China itself, the term (), literally the inland. The term has gained popularity in use in place of the term "mainland", particularly after the return of the SARs.
In Hong Kong and Macau, the term "mainland China" and "mainlander" is frequently used for people from China mainland. For political correctness, the term (??) has become the most common in the region. Official government groups such as "Constitutional and Mainland Affairs" (????????) is an examples that use the inland term.[6]
In the PRC, the inland term (??) is often separated by the external term (??) or (??) for things outside of the mainland region. Examples include "Administration of Foreign-funded Banks" (???????????????) or the "Measures on Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Insurance Institutions" (????????????????).[3]
Hainan, although politically part of the PRC and is governed under PRC law, is separate from the Chinese mainland by geography. Therefore the Hainanese may find it awkward, although not politically incorrect, to describe themselves as from "the Mainland" or "inland". As a result, if a person from Hong Kong or overseas asks if a Hainanese person is from "the mainland", it is usually the colloquial choice to simply respond with "I'm from Hainan", as it would seem awkward and geographically inaccurate to self-describe as being from either the mainland or "inland". This distinction is usually only made in the oral sense. For example, a Hainanese typically refers to a person from the mainland as a "mainlander" or "inland" in the same way a person from Hong Kong would. [7]
Others
Other use of geography-related terms are also often used where neutrality is required.
Encyclopedia
top
