Greater China

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Greater China (simplified Chinese: 大中华地区; traditional Chinese: 大中華地區; pinyin: Dà Zhōnghuá Dìqū) is a term use to refer to commercial ties, cultural interactions, and prospects for political unification among ethnic Chinese. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or only the political prospects, while others may use it for some combination of three. Usage of the term may also vary as to the geographic regions it is meant to imply. The most common geographic uses, particularly in Hong Kong, include those areas claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC). Other usages include Singapore and still others include overseas Chinese living anywhere in the world. ^[1][2]

The term was "coined by Japanese economists to describe the increasing economic integration between China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan produced by globalization." ^[3] It is not an institutionalized entity such as the EU or ASEAN. The concept is a generalization to group several markets seen to been closely linked economically and does not imply sovereignty. ^[4]

The term is often used to refer in an attempt to avoid invoking sensitivities over the political status of Taiwan.^[5] Some Taiwan independence supporters object to the term as it implies that Taiwan is a part of some concept of China.^[6][7] Some supporters of Chinese reunification also object to the term as it implies that "Greater China" is different from China. For many Asians, the term is a reminder of the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".^[8] Because of these sensitivities, the term is used in the Chinese language predominantly in Hong Kong only.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

• China proper
• East Asia
• History of China
• List of recipients of tribute from China
• List of tributaries of Imperial China
• Sinosphere
• Greater Russia

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Hong Kong Travel Guide
• Macau Travel Guide
• Taiwan Travel guides
• Harry Harding(1993) - Wikitravel. "The Concept of 'Greater China': Themes, Variations, and Reservations", in The China Quarterly, 1993, pp.660-686.
• Hong Kong Explore - Wikitravel

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