China Vocabulary

Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

The ruling political party in China that controls the government.

General Secretary of CCP

The leader of the CCP and the most powerful person in China.

Premier of China

The head of China’s government who oversees policies and the economy.

China’s State Council

The main executive body in China, led by the Premier.

Rubber Stamp Legislature

A legislature that simply approves decisions made by the government without real debate.

Politburo

A small group of top CCP leaders who make key decisions.

Politburo Standing Committee

The most powerful group in China, made up of the top leaders of the CCP.

National Party Congress

A large CCP meeting held every five years to approve major policies.

Central Committee of Communist Party

A group of high-ranking CCP members that carry out decisions between National Party Congress meetings.

National People’s Congress

China’s legislature, controlled by the CCP, that officially passes laws.

Rice Roots Democracy

Local-level political participation in China, such as village elections.

Supreme People's Court

China’s highest court, which follows the CCP’s policies.

Government Organized Non-governmental Organizations (NONGOs)

Organizations that appear independent but are actually controlled by the government.

Golden Shield/ Great Chinese Firewall

China’s system of internet censorship that blocks foreign websites.

Xinhua

The Chinese government’s official news agency.

One Child Policy

A former law limiting most families in China to one child to control population growth.

Han

The largest ethnic group in China, making up over 90% of the population.

Uyghur

A mostly Muslim ethnic group in western China that faces government restrictions and surveillance.

Tibetans

An ethnic group in Tibet with a distinct culture and Buddhist traditions, historically in conflict with the Chinese government.

Market Economy

An economy where businesses operate with limited government control.

Princeling

A child of a high-ranking CCP leader, often with political or business power.

Nomenklatura

A system where the CCP controls who gets top government and business jobs.

Mao Zedong

The founder of Communist China and leader from 1949 to 1976.

The Long March

A retreat by Mao and his followers in the 1930s that helped him rise to power.

Maoism

Mao Zedong’s communist ideology that emphasized peasant-led revolution.

The Great Leap Forward

A failed economic plan (1958-1962) that caused famine and millions of deaths.

The Chinese Cultural Revolution

A political movement (1966-1976) led by Mao to remove his enemies, which caused chaos and violence.

Iron Rice Bowl

A system where government jobs guaranteed lifelong employment and benefits.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

The Chinese government’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989.

Hong Kong Protests 2019

Mass protests against a law that could have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial.

Technocrat

A government official who is an expert in a specific field, like science or economics.

Urbanization

The process of people moving from rural areas to cities.

Special Economic Zones

Areas in China with relaxed economic rules to attract foreign businesses.

Extradition

Sending a person accused of a crime to another country or region for trial.

Dual Executive

A system where both a president and a prime minister share power.

Single Party

A government where only one political party is allowed to rule.

Xenophobia

Fear or hatred of foreigners.