held 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) Vice Premier ZHU Rongji (since 8
April 1991); Vice Premier ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991); Vice
Premier QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993); Vice Premier LI Lanqing (29
March 1993); Vice Premier WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995); Vice
Premier JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995)
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 March 1993 (next to be held 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

Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG
Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee (since 24 June
1989); 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

Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UN Security
Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador LI Daoyu
chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 through 2502
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San
Francisco

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, Beijing; FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (1) 5323831
FAX: [86] (1) 5323178
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller
yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

@China:Economy

Overview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been
trying to move the economy from the slug