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An early Republic of China stamp (1912) carried the English name "United Provinces of China"

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Chinese federalism refers to political theories which argue that China's central government either does or should devolve large amounts of power to local entities. (See federalism). Such proposals were made in the early twentieth century, in connection with the end of the Qing dynasty; as well as recently, with a view to providing checks against the power of the central government, as well as settling the relationship between the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and other potential political entities. A few scholars argue that political power in China is already decentralized, albeit on an informal basis. There is also the truism: In a world of almost 200 countries, is it likely that a quarter of humanity (1.3 billion people), will remain of just one nation-state - China? ^[1]

[edit] Nationalist-era proposals

The Revive China Society, founded in November 1894 by Sun Yat-Sen, was among the first to suggest that a future Chinese government should be established on federal lines—a feeling expressed in the organisation's oath, "Expel the northern barbarians, revive Zhonghua, and establish a unified (hézhòng) government" (驅逐韃虜，恢復中華，建立合眾政府). The term hézhòng (合眾), literally meaning "many unified as one", refers to a federal structure such as the United States of America.

During the Xinhai Revolution, fourteen provinces proclaimed independence from the Qing dynasty and reunited as the Republic of China (中華民國 / 中华民国 /Zhōnghuá Mínguó). But when the Guizhou Provincial Consultative Council (貴州省諮議局 / 贵州省咨议局/Gùizhōushěng Zīyìjú) proclaimed independence, they asked to build the Great Han Federal Democratic Republic (大漢聯邦民主共和國 / 大汉联邦民主共和国 /Dàhàn Liánbāng Mínzhǔ Gònghéguó). ^[2] Prior to January 1912, one semi-official translation of the country's new name used by revolutional Shanghai Military Government (滬軍都督府 / 沪军都督府 / Hùjān Dūdūfǔ) was the United Provinces of China. [1] [2] Sun Yat-sen's title in 1912 was "President of the Provisional Government of the United Provinces of China" [3]. Chinese federalists from this period often used "United Provinces" (聯省/ Lián Shěng) instead of "Federation" (聯邦 / Lían bang) or "United States" (合眾國 / Hézhòng Gúo) because "states" suggested a more independent arrangement than "provinces." In other words, they wished to avoid the impression that federalism implied separatism.

Proposals for a federal Chinese state were first advanced in the 1920s, but these proved unpopular. These often used the phrase United Autonomous Provinces (聯省自治 / Liánshĕng Zìzhì) as the name of the intended system. Hunan was the center of this movement. The young Mao Zedong even advocated the formation of a "Republic of Hunan" during that period. But many intellectuals, including Sun Yat-sen, argued that these proposals would limit the ability of China to fight off external invasion and would legitimize the rule of warlords.

[edit] Communist-era developments

After Chinese Communists established the Chinese Soviet Republic in Jiangxi, they aimed at a political system modeled after the union republics of the Soviet Union. According to their plans, China was to be a soviet federal republic with several autonomous republics (such as Mongolia, Turkestan, and Tibet) During the period of the Long March they established a small autonomous republic for Tibetans in Sichuan. In Shaanxi, however, they changed their nationality policy, abandoning their plan to establish autonomous republics (as in the Soviet Union) in favor of autonomous regions. The first of these to be created was Inner Mongolia in 1947.

When the People's Republic of China was found in 1949, it was divided into six semi-independent greater administrative areas. The central government was transferred from the People's Government of North China and just controlled northern China and Inner Mongolia. Other greater administrative areas had more autonomy. This autonomy had ended completely by 1954.

More recently, some economists have argued that during the process of Chinese economic reform that the People's Republic has evolved into a de-facto federal state in which provinces have wide discretion to implement policy goals which are set by the PRC central government and in which provinces and localities actively compete with each other in order to advance economically.

[edit] Future proposals

[edit] "Federal Republic of China"

A Federal Republic of China (中華聯邦共和國 / 中华联邦共和国 / Zhonghuá Líanbang Gònghéguó) is a proposed future federal republic encompassing mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This "Third Republic" (following on from the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China) is proposed by supporters of the Tibet independence movement, although it would not in effect create an independent Tibet. Yan Jiaqi, writing for the Tibetan government in exile ^[3], has written that:

Proposed flag for a Federal Republic of China, identical to the Five Races Under One Union flag, used as a national flag from the inception of the First Republic in 1912 until the demise of the warlord government in 1928.

"It would be a federation with the characteristics of a confederation. Federal China would consist of two kinds of republics: 'loose republics' such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang: and 'close republics' consisting the rest of China."

According to Yan:

"They would differ from the existing federal countries in their defence, taxation and legal systems"

This model, however, in which the close republics would have an arrangement based on the United States of America, and the loose republics more on the European Union, is not agreed upon by all advocates of a Federal Republic.

[edit] "United China" or "United States of China"

Another concept is that of a United China or a United States of China (中華合衆國 / 中华合众国 / Zhonghuá Hézhòngguó). First devised in the early 1920s by Chen Jiongming, it was modeled closely after the United States of America (美利坚合众国). Given the political, social and linguistic realities of China in the warlord period, Chen Jiongming believed that a federalist approach was the only feasible way to eventually establish a united, democratic republic. Beginning with Guangdong as a model state, he wanted to organize a "United States of China in the manner of the American experience" through negotiation with federalists from all parts of the country (New York Times June 27, 1922).

This usage was popularized after Chinese president Jiang Zemin in 2001 made a comment that a united China can adopt a new national name and flag. Large economic ties between China and Taiwan have also motivated the occasional informal use of the term to describe a united China.^[4]

The introduction of Special Economic Zones since the 1980s have led to the development of several distinct regional economies within the People's Republic of China, such as the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai Circle. Several of these regions have economies the size of small developed nations. Some scholars who use the term United States of China argue that during the process of Chinese economic reform the People's Republic has evolved into a de-facto federal state in which these economic regions have wide discretion to implement policy goals which are set by the PRC central government and in which provinces and localities actively compete with each other in order to advance economically.

[edit] "United Republics of China"

Gomberg's map

The other concept is that of a United Republics of China (中華聯合共和國 / 中华联合共和国 / Zhonghuá Líanhé Gònghéguó). First devised in the fantastic "Outline of (the) Post-War New World Map". Published in Philadelphia in early 1942, this map created by Maurice Gomberg shows a proposal to re-arrange the world after an Allied victory against the Axis forces. In the map the United Republics of China (URC) includes all parts of present-day China, Korea, the erstwhile French colony of Indochina (now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), Thailand and Malaya. Otherwise, North Manchuria and Mongolia belong to USSR; Taiwan and Hainan were the territories of USA.

In 2004, Lin Chong-Pin (林中斌), former deputy Minister of Defense ROC, said that a think tanks in Beijing or Shanghai gave a proposal for United Republics of China^[5]. None of this proposal was known. But in the same years the officials and thinking tanks of PRC often are interesting of the history of mainland Tanganyika and archipelago Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania. As Zanzibar has its own president, government, parliament, autonomy, etc. and the president of Zanzibar is the vice-president of Tanzania, it seems to be the example of Deng Xiaoping "One country, two systems" in Africa.

[edit] See also

• Political divisions of China
• Tiao-kuai
• China
• Chinese government
• Zhonghua minzu
• Jiangxi Provincial Parliament
• United Republics of China

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Davis, Michael C. "The Case for Chinese Federalism"
• Chen Jiongming and the Federalist Movement
• Weingast, Barry R. "Federalism, Chinese Style: The Political Basis for Economic Success in China"^{.pdf version}
• Democracy and Its Limits in Greater China
• Allen T. Cheng "The United States of China: How business is moving Taipei and Beijing together" - Asiaweek, July 6, 2001
• Yan Jiaqi. Towards the Federal Republic of China (html). Retrieved on 2007-04-18.
• A proposed constitution drawn up by Chinese scholars in 1994
• Mireille Delmas et Pierre Will La Chine et la démocratie