 China
isn't a country - it's a different world. From shop-till-you-drop
metropolises to the epic grasslands of Inner Mongolia
- with deserts, sacred peaks, astounding caves, and imperial
ruins - it's a land of cultural and geographic schisms.
It's not that China has completely done away with its
Maoist past - it's more that the yin of revolutionary
zeal is being balanced by the yang of economic pragmatism,
and the old guard communists are giving way to the new
wave entrepreneurs.
It's
a land of towering mountains and epic landscapes - background
scenery to the fall of dynasties, the rise of emperors
and the turning of the revolutionary wheel. Unless you
have a couple of years and unlimited patience, it's best
to follow a loose itinerary here, such as Beijing to Tibet
via Xi'an's terracotta warriors, following the Silk Road
route, sailing down the Yangzi River, or exploring the
Dr Seuss landscape of Guangxi Province.
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Major
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Visa
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Country Fact*:
Full
country name:
People's Republic of China
Area: 9,596,960 sq km
Population: 1,298,847,624
Capital city: Beijing
People: Han Chinese (93%), plus 55
ethnic minorities
Language: Putonghua (Beijing Mandarin
dialect), Cantonese
Religion: Confucianism, Buddhism,
Taoism (no stats available); Muslim (14 million),
Christian (7 million)
Government: Communist republic
Business Hours: Most of China's business
world slows down considerably during the spring festival
in late January and early February. Business visitors
would be wise to avoid this two to three week holiday
period.
In most cities in China, businesses and government
offices are usually open Monday through Friday and
every other Saturday from 8 am to noon and from 1:00
to 2:00 pm to 5:00 or 6:00 pm. China has a five and
a half day workweek consisting of 44 hours. Banks
are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Shops are open everyday
Major industries: Iron, steel, coal, machinery,
automobiles, petrolium, chemicals, telecommunications,
textiles
Major trading partners: USA, Japan,
Germany, South Korea, Taiwan
Internet Domain: .cn
International Dialing Code: +86
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Calendar of Events*: |
January:
1st - New Year's Day
February:
9th - Chinese New Year
Lunar New Year's Day
Spring Festival
March:
8th - International Women's Day
April:
5th - Qing Ming
May:
1st - Labor Day
4th - National Youth Day
June:
1st - International Children's Day
11th - Dragon Boat Festival Day
July:
1st - Communist Party Foundation
August:
1st - People's Liberation Army Day
11th - Chinese Valentine's Day
September:
18th - Mid Autumn Festival
October:
1st P.R. China's Birthday
2nd National Day |
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