中國 « ÇUŊ5 KUO35 »
— Also: 中国 « Çuŋ5 Kuo35 »; 中華 « Çuŋ5 Xua35 »; 中华 « Çuŋ5 Xua35 ».
— Officially: 中华人民共和国 « Çuŋ5 Xua35 Ẓən35 Min35 Kuŋ51 Xə35 Kuo35 ».
— English: China.
— Seat of government: 北京 « Pei214 Ćiŋ5 ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Authority within the party is based on interpersonal loyalties and factional positioning, represented primarily through the 中央政治局常务委员会 « Çuŋ5 Iaŋ5 Çəŋ51 Çr51 Ćü35 Ç‛aŋ35 U51 Uei214 Üen35 Xuei51 ».
— Governing party: 中國共產黨 « Çuŋ5 Kuo35 Kuŋ51 Ç‛an214 Taŋ214 ».
— Head of government: 習近平 « Śi35 Ćin51 P‛iŋ35 », general secretary and president.
— Assessment: The world’s most populous state, and unfortunately its most populous tyranny. Operates under a collective régime, with power residing primarily in interpersonal relationships and loyalties, often directed by senior figures without official title. While 江澤民 « Ćiaŋ5 Cə35 Min35 » (officially, 1992-2003) transitioned from public office, making way for nominal general secretary and president 胡錦濤 « Xu35 Ćin214 T‛au5 » (2002-13), he clearly maintained the leading position unofficially for many years, past the retirement of 胡 « Xu35 ». He enshrined his own doctrines in customary law, and stacked the ruling 中央政治局常務委員會 « Çuŋ5 Iaŋ5 Çəŋ51 Çr51 Ćü35 Ç‛aŋ35 U51 Uei214 Üen35 Xuei51 » with his own faction in two successive five-yearly congresses, notably the influential 曾慶紅 « Cəŋ5 Ć‛iŋ51 Xuŋ35 », while 習 « Śi35 » was positioned as the next official head of government. 習 « Śi35 » (officially, 2012-) has developed his own power more effectively than 胡 « Xu35 » ever did, and has apparently consolidated personal control, removing term limits for his official position, and orienting policy around his image.
— FH: 7-6, not free. Econ: 3.04 (136), authoritarian. (For 中國 « Çuŋ5 Kuo35 » as a whole.) FH: 7-7, not free. (For བོད « Bod ».)

香港 « Höŋ53 Koŋ35 »
— Officially: 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區 « Cuŋ53 Uā1 Ian53 Man5 Kuŋ1 Uo53 Kuok3 Höŋ53 Koŋ35 Tak1 Pit1 Haŋ31 Ciŋ3 Köü5 ».
— English: Hong Kong.
— Status: Not democratic.
— Governing party: 中國共產黨 « Çuŋ5 Kuo35 Kuŋ51 Ç‛an214 Taŋ214 ».
— Head of government: 李家超 « Lei13 Kā5 Ciu5 », chief executive (since 2022).
— Chief opposition parties: 香港民主黨 « Höŋ53 Koŋ35 Man5 Cü35 Toŋ35 », led by Emily 劉慧卿 « Lau3 Uai3 Hiŋ3 »; 公民黨 « Kuŋ5 Man5 Toŋ35, led by Alan 梁家傑 « Löŋ5 Kā53 Kit3.
— Assessment: 香港 « Höŋ53 Koŋ35 » has been governed under the principle of 一國兩制 « Iat5 Kuok3 Löŋ13 Cai3 »; there has been a greater deal of liberalism and participatory government, but the 中共 « Çuŋ5 Kuŋ51 » still has control, and is exercising that control to an ever-greater degree. Chief executive Donald 曾蔭權 « Caŋ53 Iam35 K‛ün3 » (2005-12) suggested that by 2017, voters might be allowed to choose the chief executive from among several approved candidates; a fully-elected Legislative Council would be implemented no earlier than 2020. A LegCo election in 2008 produced a slightly-reduced majority for democrats in the elected half of the seats, but still a blocking minority, as several key figures retired; results in 2012 were similar, with a consolidation in the two main camps. 梁振英 « Löŋ21 Can3 Iŋ5 (2012-7) became chief executive in 2012. In 2014, after the 中共 « Çuŋ5 Kuŋ51 » made clear that it would not permit the free election of the chief executive, a series of peaceful protests began, known as 佔領中環 « Cim3 Liŋ13 Cuŋ5 Uān21 » or the 雨傘運動 « Iü13 Sān3 Uan2 Tuŋ2 ». 林鄭月娥 « Lam21 Ceŋ2 Üt2 Ŋo21 » (2017-22), previously the chief secretary of the administration, took over as chief executive in 2017. Her term saw a cycle of increasing control from 北京 « Pei214 Ćiŋ5 » followed by increasing protests against this control. In 2019, the administration introduced an extradition bill that would have increased 北京 « Pei214 Ćiŋ5 »’s ability to arrest people in 香港 « Höŋ53 Koŋ35 »; after massive protests, the bill was withdrawn. Democrats won a sweeping victory in district elections that fall. In 2020, 北京 « Pei214 Ćiŋ5 » decided to force a national security law on 香港 « Höŋ53 Koŋ35 »; this led to further protests, and the administration then began interfering in the LegCo and the forthcoming election in various ways, prompting the resignation of the pro-democracy legislators, and in 2021 北京 « Pei214 Ćiŋ5 » drastically reduced the elected component of LegCo. The human rights situation has steadily deteriorated.
— FH: 5-2, partly free. Econ: 5.85 (84), hybrid.
— Updated: 2022 July 17.
 

O.T. FORD