View source for Two Chinas

{{Short description|Geopolitical concept}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title             = Two Chinas
| pic               = China map.png
| piccap            = Territories controlled by the [[China|People's Republic of China (PRC)]] (purple) and the [[Taiwan|Republic of China (ROC)]] (orange). The size of minor islands controlled by the PRC, the ROC, and other countries (gray) has been exaggerated in this map for ease of identification.
| picsize           = 266px
| t                 = 兩個中國
| s                 = 两个中国
| p                 = liǎng gè Zhōngguó (in PRC)<br>liǎng ge Zhōngguó (in ROC)
| bpmf              = ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄍㄜ` ㄓㄨㄥ  ㄍㄨㄛ´ (in PRC)<br>ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄍㄜ˙ ㄓㄨㄥ  ㄍㄨㄛ´ (in ROC)
| w                 = liang<sup>3</sup> ko<sup>4</sup> chung<sup>1</sup>-kuo<sup>2</sup> (in PRC)<br>liang<sup>3</sup> ko chung<sup>1</sup>-kuo<sup>2</sup> (in ROC)
| myr               = lyǎng gè Jūnggwó (in PRC)<br>lyǎng ge Jūnggwó (in ROC)
}}
{{Politics of China}}
{{Politics of Taiwan}}

The concept of  '''Two Chinas''' refers to the political divide between the [[People's Republic of China]] (PRC) and the [[Republic of China]] (ROC). Founded in 1912, the ROC governed mainland China until the [[Chinese Communist Party]] established the PRC in 1949, forcing the ROC to [[Retreat of the government of Republic of China to Taiwan|retreat to Taiwan]] after losing the [[Chinese Civil War]]. Both are rival governments claiming to be the sole legitimate authority over all of China ([[One China]]), encompassing mainland China and Taiwan, and neither recognizes the other’s legitimacy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MacLeod |first=Andrew |date=2022-07-12 |title=When people say the West should support Taiwan, what exactly do they mean? |url=http://theconversation.com/when-people-say-the-west-should-support-taiwan-what-exactly-do-they-mean-186744 |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Today, they operate as separate entities with different political systems and ideologies. The differences between the two Chinas are stark, with the PRC being a [[one-party]] [[communist state]] and the ROC a [[multi-party democracy]] after [[Politics of Taiwan#Transition to democracy|transitioning]] from [[one-party state|one-party]] [[military junta|military rule]]. Both countries maintain [[Cross-strait relations|separate diplomatic relations]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heritage.org/asia/report/us-diplomacy-and-the-two-chinas|date=2 July 1977|access-date=19 March 2021|title=U.S. Diplomacy and the Two Chinas|first=Jeffrey B|last=Gayner|archive-date=18 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118103721/https://www.heritage.org/asia/report/us-diplomacy-and-the-two-chinas|url-status=unfit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230001183_20|doi=10.1057/9780230001183_20|chapter=The Two Chinas|title=The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Cold War|year=2003|last1=Swift|first1=John|pages=44–45|isbn=978-0-333-99404-7|access-date=2021-02-11|archive-date=2023-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411112230/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230001183_20|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Background==
{{see also|History of the Republic of China}}

In 1912, the [[Puyi|Xuantong Emperor]] abdicated as a result of the [[1911 Revolution|Xinhai Revolution]], and the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] was established in [[Nanjing]] by revolutionaries under [[Sun Yat-sen]]. At the same time, the [[Beiyang government]], led by [[Yuan Shikai]], a former [[Qing dynasty]] general, existed in [[Beijing]], whose legitimacy was challenged by the [[Nationalist government]] under the [[Kuomintang]] (Chinese Nationalist Party).

From 1912 to 1949, China was scarred by [[Warlord Era|warlords]], the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|Japanese invasion]] and the [[Chinese Civil War]]. Throughout this turbulent period, multiple governments existed in China. These include Yuan Shikai's Beiyang government (1912–1928), the [[Chinese Soviet Republic]] (1931–1937) established by the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP),<ref>Lyman P. Van Slyke, ''The Chinese Communist movement: a report of the United States War Department, July 1945'', Stanford University Press, 1968, p. 44</ref> the puppet states of [[Manchukuo]] (1932–1945) and [[Mengjiang]] (1939–1945), the [[Fujian People's Government]] (1933–1934), [[Wang Jingwei]]'s [[Reorganized National Government of China|Japanese-sponsored puppet government]] (1940–1945), [[Ganden Phodrang]]'s [[Tibet (1912–1951)|Tibet]] (1912–1951), [[Khoja Niyaz]]'s [[First East Turkestan Republic|Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan]] (1933–1934), the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-backed [[Second East Turkestan Republic|East Turkestan Republic]] (1944–1949), the [[Tuvan People's Republic]] (1921–1944), [[Bogd Khan]]'s [[Bogd Khanate of Mongolia|Mongolian State]] in [[Outer Mongolia]] (1911–1924) and the [[Mongolian People's Republic]] (1924–1992), with the latter recognized by China in 1946.

As the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, the Chinese communist [[China|People's Republic of China]] (PRC), led by [[Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party|CCP Chairman]] [[Mao Zedong]], took control of [[Mainland China]]. The [[Taiwan|Republic of China]], led by [[President of the Republic of China|President]] [[Chiang Kai-shek]], [[Retreat of the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan|retreated]] the [[government of the Republic of China]] to the island of [[Taiwan island|Taiwan]], hence effectively dividing China into two political states{{efn|The southeastern province of [[Fujian]] was split, resulting in the PRC controlling most of the province including the islands of [[Haitan Island|Haitan]], [[Nanri Island|Nanri]] and [[Meizhou Island|Meizhou]] with the ROC retaining control of [[Kinmen]], [[Matsu Island|Matsu]] and [[Wuqiu, Kinmen|Wuqiu]] islands.}}, similar to [[Division of Korea|North and South Korea]], [[History of Germany (1945–1990)|West and East Germany]] and [[1954 Geneva Conference|North and South Vietnam]].

Though fighting continued for the next several years, by the time of the [[Korean War]] the lines of control were sharply drawn: the Communist-led People's Republic of China government in Beijing controlled most of mainland China, while the Kuomintang-led [[Republic of China]] government, now in [[Taipei]], controlled the [[island of Taiwan]], some surrounding islands, and a number of islands off the coast of [[Fujian]]. This stalemate was enforced with the assistance of the [[United States]] government that [[United States Taiwan Defense Command|began deterring an invasion of Taiwan]] after the start of the Korean War.

For many years, both governments contended to be the sole legitimate government of China. With the fighting largely over, the major battleground became diplomatic. Before the 1970s, the Republic of China was still recognized by many countries and the United Nations as the sole legitimate government of "China", which claimed sovereignty over both mainland China and Taiwan. The Republic of China had been a founding member of the [[United Nations]] and was one of the five permanent members of the Security Council until 1971, when they were expelled from the UN and China's representation was replaced by the People's Republic of China (PRC) via [[UN General Assembly Resolution 2758]]. Before the 1970s, few foreign governments recognised the People's Republic of China. The first governments to recognise it as the government of "China" were [[Soviet bloc]] countries, members of the [[non-aligned movement]], and the [[United Kingdom]] (1950). The catalyst to change came in 1971, when the [[United Nations General Assembly]] [[China and the United Nations|expelled]] representatives of Chiang Kai-shek by refusing to recognise their accreditations as representatives of China. Recognition for the People's Republic of China soon followed from most other governments, including the United States. The Republic of China continued to compete with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to be recognised as the legitimate government of China.

Since the 1990s, however, a rising movement for formal recognition of Taiwanese independence has made the political status of Taiwan the dominant issue, replacing the debate about the legitimate government of China. A view in Taiwan is that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are both [[sovereignty|sovereign]], thus forming "two Chinas", or "one China, one Taiwan". Former Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian adamantly supported this status quo, and accordingly largely abandoned the campaign for the Republic of China to be recognised as the sole legitimate government of China. Under President Chen, the ROC government was campaigning for the Republic of China to join the United Nations as representative of its effective territory—Taiwan and nearby islands—only. Chen's successor, President [[Ma Ying-jeou]], ceased that push.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}

==Current situation==
[[File:Two Chinas.svg|350px|thumb|right|The map shows the [[One-China policy]] in practice.
{{legend|#FF4500|[[China|People's Republic of China]] (PRC)}}
{{legend|#E5A238|States recognising PRC only}}
{{legend|#cdcd9c|States recognising PRC with informal ROC relations}}
{{legend|#0052ff|[[Taiwan|Republic of China]] (ROC)}}
{{legend|#5fadff|States recognising ROC only}}
{{legend|#a3a3a3|States with no reported position at present}}]]
{{Main|Cross-strait relations}}
In the past, both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) have claimed ''de jure'' sovereignty over mainland China whilst denying the legitimacy of the other.<ref name="Sovereignty2">{{cite book|last1=Hudson|first1=Christopher|title=The China Handbook|year=2014|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hm63AwAAQBAJ&q=prc+and+roc+legitimacy&pg=PA59|page=59|publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134269662|access-date=2021-06-28|archive-date=2023-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410211623/https://books.google.com/books?id=hm63AwAAQBAJ&q=prc+and+roc+legitimacy&pg=PA59|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Sovereignty3">{{cite book|last1=Rigger|first1=Shelley|author1-link=Shelley Rigger|title=Politics in Taiwan: Voting for Reform|year=2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hiiEAgAAQBAJ&q=roc+limited+to+taiwan&pg=PA60|page=60|publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134692972|access-date=2021-06-28|archive-date=2023-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410211621/https://books.google.com/books?id=hiiEAgAAQBAJ&q=roc+limited+to+taiwan&pg=PA60|url-status=live}}</ref> The position of the PRC and the [[KMT]] in Taiwan remains that there is only one sovereign entity of China, united and indivisible. The liberal [[Pan-Green Coalition]] in Taiwan prefers the status quo and is dedicated to maintaining the sovereignty over the territory under effective control.

The official diplomacy of the two governments remains exclusive to each other. As of {{currentyear}}, 178 UN member states and the [[State of Palestine]] have a formal diplomatic relation with the PRC. 11 UN member states and the [[Holy See]] have a formal diplomatic relation with the ROC.

===People's Republic of China===
The [[government of the People's Republic of China]] (PRC) opposes treating the Republic of China (ROC) as a legitimate state and portrays Taiwan as a rogue province of the PRC.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html | title = CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA | date = 1982-12-04 | newspaper = The People's Daily | access-date = 2016-05-11 | archive-date = 2010-08-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100812224210/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html | url-status = live }}</ref> The CCP-led Chinese government has consistently opposed two parallel Chinese sovereign states, instead espousing that all of "China" is under one single, indivisible sovereignty under its "[[One-China policy|One China Principle]]", explicitly including Taiwan. Under this principle, while the PRC has no ''de facto'' control over territory administered by the ROC, the PRC nevertheless claims that the territories controlled by both the PRC and ROC are part of the same, indivisible sovereign entity "China".<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html | title = CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA | date = 1982-12-04 | publisher = The People's Daily&nbsp;— Read 3rd paragraph, 10th line- | access-date = 2016-05-11 | archive-date = 2010-08-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100812224210/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="Anti-Secession Law">{{cite news | url = http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/14/eng20050314_176746.html | title = Anti-Secession Law | date = 2005-03-14 | newspaper = The People's Daily | access-date = 2016-05-11 | archive-date = 2009-08-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090802100608/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/14/eng20050314_176746.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

PRC government policy mandates that any country that wishes to establish a diplomatic relationship with the PRC must first discontinue any formal relationship with the ROC. According to ''[[The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs]]'', "non-recognition of the Taiwanese government is a prerequisite for conducting formal diplomatic relations with the PRC{{mdash}}in effect forcing other governments to choose between Beijing and Taipei."<ref>{{Cite journal | journal = [[The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs]] | title = China, Taiwan, and the Battle for Latin America | first1 = Daniel P. | last1 = Erikson | first2 = Janice | last2 =  Chen | year = 2007 | volume = 31 | issue = 2 | page = 71}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.china.org.cn/english/taiwan/7956.htm | title = The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue | publisher = [[China Internet Information Center]] | access-date = 2014-04-09 | archive-date = 2019-02-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190227214111/http://www.china.org.cn/english/taiwan/7956.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> In order to compete for other countries' recognition, each government has given money to certain small countries. Several small African and Caribbean countries have established and discontinued diplomatic relationships with both sides several times in exchange for huge financial support from each side.<ref>{{Cite web | title = China and Taiwan in Africa | publisher = HiiDunia | url = http://www.hiidunia.com/2010/04/china-and-taiwan-in-africa/ | access-date = 2014-04-09 | archive-date = 2014-04-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140413124423/http://www.hiidunia.com/2010/04/china-and-taiwan-in-africa/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> The PRC also uses its international influence to prohibit the ROC from entering international events such as the [[Olympic Games]] under its official name. Instead, the ROC was forced to adopt the name [[Chinese Taipei]] to enter such events since the 1980s.<ref name="Lin">{{cite news |title = How 'Chinese Taipei' came about |author = Catherine K. Lin |url = http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2008/08/05/2003419446 |newspaper = Taipei Times |date = 2008-08-05 |access-date = 2016-05-11 |archive-date = 2021-06-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210617071616/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2008/08/05/2003419446 |url-status = live }}</ref> Furthermore, on press releases and other media, CCP and the officials of PRC never refer to the ROC as such, instead referring to the territory of Taiwan as "China's Taiwan Province", and to the ROC government as "the Taiwan authority".{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

===Republic of China===

Until the constitutional reforms of 1991, the Republic of China (ROC) actively asserted its claim of sovereignty over all of China and still opposes treating the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a legitimate state. ROC authorities clarified the constitutional reforms by stating they do not "dispute the fact that the PRC controls mainland China."<ref>{{cite web|title=TAIWAN (REPUBLIC OF CHINA): Constitution, Government & Legislation|url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/taiwan.htm|publisher=Jurist Legal intelligence, Pitt University|access-date=30 July 2011|archive-date=8 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408160604/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/taiwan.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>  Since then, the ROC has neither actively asserted these claims nor denied them.  Democratization and liberalization of [[free speech]] has led to the emergence of the [[Taiwan independence movement]], which supports the idea of "Two Chinas".  The ROC's position with respect to "Two Chinas" has varied by administration, with [[Pan-Green]] administrations favoring it and [[Pan-Blue]] administrations preferring the position of One China with respective interpretations.

In 1999, then [[President of the Republic of China|President]] [[Lee Teng-hui]] defined the relationship as "[[Special state-to-state relations]]".  

President [[Chen Shui-bian]] proposed in 2002 that "[[One Country on Each Side|with Taiwan and China on each side of the Taiwan Strait, each side is a country]]".  In 2003 he further said that "Taiwan is not a province of one country nor is it a state of another".<ref>
{{cite web|title=Extracted text of the telecast relating to cross-strait relations|publisher=Mainland Affairs Council of Republic of China|date=2002-08-03|url=http://www.mac.gov.tw/big5/mlpolicy/refer92/1_22.htm|language=zh|quote=台灣不是別人的一部分；不是別人的地方政府、別人的一省|access-date=2009-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217222641/http://www.mac.gov.tw/big5/mlpolicy/refer92/1_22.htm|archive-date=2004-12-17|url-status=dead}}
</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fortune will favor a brave Taiwan|newspaper=Taipei Times|date=2003-10-22|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2003/10/22/2003072919|last=Wang|first=James|access-date=2013-03-09|archive-date=2015-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205030025/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2003/10/22/2003072919|url-status=live}}</ref> Chen administration took steps to use the name "Taiwan" internationally to boost the international business activities with Taiwan by preventing confusion between the "two Chinas". For example, the word "Taiwan" appears underneath "Republic of China" on [[Taiwan passport|Republic of China passports]] such that the visa policy towards citizens of ROC can be separated from the policy towards people from PRC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/01/15/119980|title=Chang gives his approval to passports|publisher=Taipei Times|website=www.taipeitimes.com|date=15 January 2002|access-date=1 January 2019|archive-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101193944/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/01/15/119980|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2008 President [[Ma Ying-jeou]] from the [[Kuomintang]] stated that the sovereignty issues between the two sovereigns cannot be resolved at present, and brought up the [[1992 Consensus]] as a temporary measure until a solution becomes available.<ref>{{cite news|title=Taiwan and China in 'special relations': Ma|newspaper=China Post|date=2008-09-04|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/china-taiwan%20relations/2008/09/04/173082/Taiwan-and.htm|access-date=2008-09-24|archive-date=2008-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906092524/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/china-taiwan%20relations/2008/09/04/173082/Taiwan-and.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The spokesman for the ROC Presidential Office Wang Yu-chi ({{zh|王郁琦}}) later clarified the President's statement and said that the relations are between two regions of one country, based on the context of ROC Constitution, and the Statute Governing the Relations Between the Peoples of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area and the 1992 Consensus.<ref>{{cite news|title=Presidential Office defends Ma|newspaper=Taipei Times|date=2008-09-05|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/09/05/2003422339|access-date=2008-09-24|archive-date=2008-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911200500/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/09/05/2003422339|url-status=live}}</ref>

President [[Tsai Ing-wen]] of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] was elected in 2016. Her administration adopted a different policy in this issue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-election-idUSKBN1XO235|title=Taiwan opposition candidate calls for return to one China formula|newspaper=Reuters|date=November 14, 2019|via=www.reuters.com|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-date=December 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207094735/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-election-idUSKBN1XO235|url-status=live}}</ref>  Under Tsai administration, the claim over the Chinese territory on the Eurasian continent was again weakened.

==Historical precedents==

{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
!Official name(s)
|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg|23px}} [[Communist-controlled China (1927–1949)|Soviet Zone]] {{small|(1927–1931)}}<hr>{{flag|Chinese Soviet Republic}} {{small|(1931–1937)}}<hr>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg|23px}} [[Communist-controlled China (1927–1949)|Anti-Japanese Base Areas]] {{small|(1937–1946)}}<hr>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg|23px}} [[Communist-controlled China (1927–1949)|Liberated Zone]] {{small|(1946–1949)}}<hr>'''{{flagicon|CHN}} [[People's Republic of China]]''' {{small|(1949–present)}}||'''{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Republic of China]]''' {{small|(1912–present)}}
|-
!Common name
|'''[[China]]'''||'''[[Taiwan]]''' {{small|(present)}}<hr/>[[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]] {{small|(historical)}}
|-
!Date of establishment
|[[Nanchang uprising|1 August 1927]]<hr>[[October Revolution|7 November 1931]]<hr>[[Proclamation of the People's Republic of China|1 October 1949]]||[[History of the Republic of China#Founding of the republic|1 January 1912]]
|-align=left
!Effective jurisdiction
|[[Jiangxi–Fujian Soviet|Fujian, Jiangxi]], [[Hunan]] and [[Jiangsu]] [[Revolutionary base area|Soviet Zone]]s {{small|([[Nanchang Uprising|1927]]–[[Long March|1934]])}}<hr>[[Northern Shaanxi]] and [[Manchuria]] {{small|(1935–present)}}<hr>[[Mainland China]] {{small|([[Chinese Communist Revolution|1949]]–present)}}<hr/>[[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]] (includes [[Tibet Area (administrative division)|Xizang]] and [[Chamdo Region|Chamdo]]) {{small|([[Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China|1951]]–present)}}<hr/>[[Hong Kong]] {{small|([[Handover of Hong Kong|1997]]–present)}}<hr/>[[Macau]] {{small|([[Transfer of sovereignty over Macau|1999]]–present)}}
|Mainland China {{small|(1912–1949)}}<hr>[[Outer Mongolia]] {{small|([[Occupation of Mongolia|1919]]–[[Mongolian Revolution of 1921|1921]])}}<hr/>[[Free area of the Republic of China|Taiwan and Pescadores]] {{small|([[Retreat of the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan|1945]]–present)}}<br>[[Kinmen]] and [[Matsu Islands]] {{small|(1912–present)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://taiwaninsight.org/2021/09/13/at-the-edge-of-state-control-the-creation-of-the-matsu-islands/|title=At the Edge of State Control: The Creation of the "Matsu Islands"|work=Taiwan Insight|publisher=[[University of Nottingham]] Taiwan Studies Programme|date=2021-09-13|accessdate=2023-05-21|quote=Taiwan was a colony of Japan, whereas Matsu was part of Fujian}}</ref>
|-
!Representation of "[[China and the United Nations|China]]"<br/>in the [[United Nations]]
|[[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758|1971]]–present
|1945–1971
|-
!Capital
| [[Jinggang Mountains|Jinggangshan]] (1927–1930)<br />[[Ruijin]] (1931–1934)<br />[[Zhidan County|Zhidan]] (1935)<br />[[Yan'an]] (1936–1947)<br />[[Xibaipo]] (1947–1949)<br>[[Beijing]] (1949–present)
|[[Nanjing]] (1912, 1927–1937, 1946–1949) <br />[[Beijing]] (1912–1928)<br />[[Chongqing]] (1937–1946, 1949)<br />[[Guangzhou]] (1949)<br>
[[Chengdu]] (1949)<br>
[[Taipei]] (1949–present)
|-
!Founder
|[[Mao Zedong]]
|[[Sun Yat-sen]]
|-
!Incumbent head of state
|[[Xi Jinping]]
|[[Lai Ching-te]]
|-
!Incumbent head of government
|[[Li Qiang]]
|[[Cho Jung-tai]]
|}

== See also ==
*[[Greater China]]
*[[Cross-strait relations]]
*[[Chinese unification]]
*[[Huadu (Taiwan)]]
*[[Exclusive mandate]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{-}}
{{Cross-Strait_relations}}
{{People's Republic of China politics}}

[[Category:Cross-strait relations]]