Republic of China

Government

While the nation was intended to have pursued a republican form of government, in effect the various warlord states have devolved into military dictatorships with at best a facade of democracy and liberalism.

History

China has long been a large and powerful nation. However as it began to isolate itself from the rest of the world roughly 500 years ago, it regressed in power and technology. The Manchu Qing Dynasty began to be bullied by powerful European colonialist powers into opening up trade, and being forced to legalize opium which ravaged the nation. A contingent of Chinese students who studied abroad began to adopt Republican ideas, and plotted to stage a revolution against the Qing government and instate a new modern government. In 1911 the republican revolutionaries successfully deposed the Qing Dynasty. However the transition of power was not smooth as a series of opportunistic generals and politicians saw an opportunity to seize power, and thus instead of a unified China, a fractured nation of warlord states began, which further weakened the nation. Though it began to adopt modern technology, its disunity and infighting became a crippling blow to the nation's strength. In 1932 the fractured nation lost the territory of Manchuria to the Japanese, which used a false flag attack to invade and establish a puppet government in the form of the Manchukuo, which is run by the reinstated rulers of the Qing Dynasty.

Warlord States

The various warlord states of China have various degrees of power, as well as amicability between each other.

Republic of Xing

The strongest of the states, led by Chang Kai Shek, leader of the Kuomintang, or Nationalist Chinese Party.

Communist Xing

Led by Mao Zedong, a communist revolutionary, who has been waging a losing war against Chang Kai Shek and his nationalist coalition. He has been in retreat from pursuing Kuomintang armies, and is currently hiding up north, having carved out a small area for him and his cause as he builds up strength to continue his fight.

Sinkiang

The western most territory of China. It has decided to place itself under the Kovrovski sphere of influence, and has thus become a communist state.

Ma Clique

Another western state, the Ma Clique has a cultural blend of Chinese and Middle Eastern. Allied with the Kuomintang

Yunnan

A state in south-inner China, allied with the Kuomintang

Guangxi Clique

A state in southern China, allied with the Kuomintang

Shanxi

A state in northern China, allied with the Kuomintang

Economy

China is poorly industrialized and has failed to catch up with Japan, its imperialist neighbor. Despite having a vastly larger population, they are impoverished and lack the capacity to effectively utilize their population in production and advancement. The chaos and turmoil of internal division, civil war, and the threat of Japanese invasion has made China an unfriendly place for stable business and foreign investment. That being said, China's sheer size and labor force compensates this weakness to a considerable degree.

Culture

Because China is so large, and it has such a rich and long history, its culture is expansive. Food and music can vary from region to region. A strong traditional ethos of hierarchy and respect for one's elders binds the nation in a sort of cultural unity though.

Geography

China features a warn and lush south, while its northern and inner most regions tend to be drier and colder, reaching deserts in its eastern most areas.