Part 18

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad local short form: Tchad Digraph: CD Type: republic Capital: N'Djamena Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha, Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day 11 August (1960) Constitution: 22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991; constitutional commission drafting new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994 Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: universal at age NA Executive branch: chief of state: President Col. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Kassire Delwa KOUMAKOYE (since 17 November 1993) cabinet: Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif): elections last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991; this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS; former dissident group), Idriss DEBY, chairman note: President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new constitution, and free elections by April 1994, has postponed these initiatives for another year; there are numerous dissident groups and 26 opposition political parties Other political or pressure groups: NA Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Ambassador KOUMBARIA Laoumaye Mekonyo died on 16 May 1994 chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 462-4009 FAX: (202) 265-1937 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence POPE embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 62-18, 40-09, or 62-11 FAX: [235] (51) 33-72 Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France Overview: Climate, geographic remoteness, poor resource endowment, and lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. Its economy is hobbled by political turmoil, conflict with Libya, drought, and food shortages. Consequently the economy has shown little progress in recent years in overcoming a severe setback brought on by civil war in the late 1980s. Over 80% of the work force is involved in subsistence farming and fishing. Cotton is the major cash crop, accounting for at least half of exports. Chad is highly dependent on foreign aid, especially food credits, given chronic shortages in several regions. The government hopes that discovery of several oil deposits near Lake Chad will lead to economic revival and a windfall in government revenues by 2000. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.7 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 8.4% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $500 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2%-3% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $115 million expenditures: $412 million, including capital expenditures of $218 million (1991 est.) Exports: $193.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: cotton 48%, cattle 35%, textiles 5%, fish partners: France, Nigeria, Cameroon Imports: $294.1 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; note - excludes military equipment partners: US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon External debt: $492 million (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 40,000 kW production: 70 million kWh consumption per capita: 15 kWh (1991) Industries: cotton textile mills, slaughterhouses, brewery, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes Agriculture: accounts for about 45% of GDP; largely subsistence farming; cotton most important cash crop; food crops include sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats, camels; self-sufficient in food in years of adequate rainfall Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $198 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $28 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $80 million Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948 Fiscal year: calendar year

@Chad, Communications

Highways: total: 31,322 km paved: bituminous 32 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 7,300 km; earth 23,990 km Inland waterways: 2,000 km navigable Airports: total: 68 usable: 58 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 27 Telecommunications: fair system of radiocommunication stations for intercity links; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 1 FM, limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Chad, Defense Forces

Branches: Army (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,276,167; fit for military service 663,326; reach military age (20) annually 54,027 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $58 million, 5.6% of GDP (1989)

@Chile, Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Argentina and Peru Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 756,950 sq km land area: 748,800 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana note: includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez Land boundaries: total 6,171 km, Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km Coastline: 6,435 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: short section of the southern boundary with Argentina is indefinite; Bolivia has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Bolivia over Rio Lauca water rights; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 16% forest and woodland: 21% other: 56% Irrigated land: 12,650 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from untreated sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: subject to severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea Note: strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert one of world's driest regions

@Chile, People

Population: 13,950,557 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.51% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 20.59 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.51 years male: 71.52 years female: 77.65 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean Ethnic divisions: European and European-Indian 95%, Indian 3%, other 2% Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish Languages: Spanish Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 93% male: 94% female: 93% Labor force: 4.728 million by occupation: services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)

@Chile, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile Digraph: CI Type: republic Capital: Santiago Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810) Constitution: 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989 Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994) election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1999); results - Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) Senate (Senado): election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total, 38 elected) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 21 (PDC 13, PS 4, PPD 3, PR 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 15 (RN 11, UDI 3, UCC 1), right-wing independents 10 Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results - Concertation of Parties for Democracy 53.95% (PDC 27.16%, PS 12.01%, PPD 11.82%, PR 2.96%,); Union for the Progress of Chile 30.57% (RN 15.25%, UDI 12.13%, UCC 3.19%); seats - (120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 47 (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2), right-wing independents 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Political parties and leaders: Concertation of Parties for Democracy consists mainly of four parties: Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Gutenberg MARTINEZ; Socialist Party (PS), Camilo ESCALONA; Party for Democracy (PPD), Victor Manuel REBOLLEDO; Radical Party (PR), Carlos GONZALEZ Marquez; Union for the Progress of Chile consists mainly of three parties: National Renewal (RN), Andres ALLAMAND; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jovino NOVOA; Center Center Union (UCC), Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ Other political or pressure groups: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; labor - United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church Member of: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BIEHL del Rio chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 785-1746 FAX: (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Curtis W. KAMMAN embassy: Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago mailing address: Unit 4127, Santiago; APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 671-0133 FAX: [56] (2) 699-1141 Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag

@Chile, Economy

Overview: Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market economy, with the degree of government intervention varying according to the philosophy of the different regimes. Under the center-left government of President AYLWIN, which took power in March 1990, spending on social welfare has risen steadily. At the same time business investment, exports and consumer spending have also grown substantially. The new president, FREI, who takes office in March 1994, is expected to emphasize social spending even more. Growth in 1991-93 has averaged 8% annually, with an estimated one million Chileans having moved out of poverty in the last four years. Copper remains vital to the health of the economy; Chile is the world's largest producer and exporter of copper. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $96 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 5.8% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $7,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.3% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 5.1% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $10.9 billion expenditures: $10.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.2 billion (1993) Exports: $10 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: copper 41%, other metals and minerals 8.7%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1991) partners: EC 29%, Japan 17%, US 16%, Argentina 5%, Brazil 5% (1992) Imports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% partners: EC 24%, US 21%, Brazil 10%, Japan 10% (1992) External debt: $19.7 billion (1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 9.3% (1992 est.); accounts for 34% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 5,769,000 kW production: 22.01 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,630 kWh (1992) Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles Agriculture: accounts for about 7% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); major exporter of fruit, fish, and timber products; major crops - wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, deciduous fruit; livestock products - beef, poultry, wool; self-sufficient in most foods; 1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons; net agricultural importer Illicit drugs: a minor transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $521 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.6 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $386 million Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 430.57 (January 1994), 404.35 (1993), 362.59 (1992), 349.37 (1991), 305.06 (1990), 267.16 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year

@Chile, Communications

Railroads: 7,766 km total; 3,974 km 1.676-meter gauge, 150 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 3,642 km 1.000-meter gauge; 1,865 km 1.676-meter gauge and 80 km 1.000-meter gauge electrified Highways: total: 79,993 km paved: 10,984 km unpaved: gravel or earth 68,615 km (1990) Inland waterways: 725 km Pipelines: crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km Ports: Antofagasta, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Talcahuano, Arica Merchant marine: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 449,253 GRT/755,821 DWT, bulk 10, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 3, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3 note: in addition, 1 naval tanker and 1 military transport are sometimes used commercially Airports: total: 392 usable: 349 with permanent-surface runways: 47 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 58 Telecommunications: modern telephone system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; 768,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 159 AM, no FM, 131 TV, 11 shortwave; satellite ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic

@Chile, Defense Forces

Branches: Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigative Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 3,705,321; fit for military service 2,759,130; reach military age (19) annually 120,512 (1994 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1 billion, 3.4% of GDP (1991 est.)

@China

Header Affiliation: (also see separate Taiwan entry)

@China, Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, between India and Mongolia Map references: Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 9,596,960 sq km land area: 9,326,410 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than the US Land boundaries: total 22,143.34 km, Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,673 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km Coastline: 14,500 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: claim to shallow areas of East China Sea and Yellow Sea territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: boundary with India; bilateral negotiations are under way to resolve disputed sections of the boundary with Russia; boundary with Tajikistan in dispute; a short section of the boundary with North Korea is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest) Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 31% forest and woodland: 14% other: 45% Irrigated land: 478,220 sq km (1991 - Chinese statistic) Environment: current issues: air pollution from the overwhelming use of coal as a fuel, produces acid rain which is damaging forests; water pollution from industrial effluents; many people do not have access to safe drinking water; less than 10% of sewage receives treatment; deforestation; estimated loss of one-third of agricultural land since 1957 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea Note: world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)

@China, People

Population: 1,190,431,106 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.08% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 18.1 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.91 years male: 66.93 years female: 68.99 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese Ethnic divisions: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% Religions: Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.) note: officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic divisions entry) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 78% male: 87% female: 68% Labor force: 567.4 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 60%, industry and commerce 25%, construction and mining 5%, social services 5%, other 5% (1990 est.)

@China, Government

Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhong Guo Abbreviation: PRC Digraph: CH Type: Communist state Capital: Beijing Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing Shi**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai Shi**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin Shi**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949) National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949) Constitution: most recent promulgated 4 December 1982 Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993); election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth National People's Congress chief of state and head of government (de facto): DENG Xiaoping (since NA 1977) 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) cabinet: State Council; containing 28 ministers and 8 state commissions and appointed by the National People's Congress (March 1993) 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, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UNTSO, UN Trusteeship Council, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador LI Daoyu chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (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, Beijing mailing address: 100600, PSC 461, Box 50, Beijing or FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (1) 532-3831 FAX: [86] (1) 532-3178 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 sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more productive and flexible economy with market elements, but still within the framework of monolithic Communist control. To this end the authorities switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a strong surge in production,

## particularly in agriculture in the early 1980s. Industry also has