ers Taiwan its 23rd province

Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty
221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12
February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)

National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949)

Constitution: most recent promulgated 4 December 1982

Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely
criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987;
new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts
are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and
commercial law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice
President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993) elected by the National
People's Congress; election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held
NA 1998); results - JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth
National People's Congress
head of government: Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since 24
November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988) nominated by the
president, decided by the National People's Congress; Vice Premiers
ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991), ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991),
QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993), WU
Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March
1995) nominated by the president, decided by the National People's
Congress
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)

Legislative branch: unicameral
National People's Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui): elections
last held NA March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); results -
CCP is the only party but there are also independents; seats -
(2,977 total) (elected at county or xian level)

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the
National People's Congress

Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP),
JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee; eight
registered small parties controlled by CCP

Other political or pressure groups: such meaningful opposition as
exists consists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and
government organization, that vary by issue

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC,
ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,