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.