Page 7 - China Destination Guide - Alluring Asia

GOVERNMENT The primary organs of state power are the National People's Congress (NPC), the President, and the State Council. Members of the State Council include Premier, a variable number of vice premiers, state councilors (protocol equal of vice premiers but with narrower portfolios), and ministers and heads of State Council commissions. PAGE 3 Under the Chinese Constitution, the NPC is the Population | Time | Visas Insurance | History highest organ of state power in China. It meets annually for about 2 weeks to review and approve PAGE 4-6 major new policy directions, laws, the budget, and History major personnel changes. These initiatives are presented to the NPC for consideration by the State PAGE 7 Government | Language Council after previous endorsement by the Communist Party's Central Committee. PAGE 8 Climate LANGUAGE Although the NPC generally approves State Council The official language is Mandarin Chinese. Among PAGE 9 policy and personnel recommendations, various NPC the enormous number of local dialects, large groups The Land | People | Religion committees hold active debate in closed sessions, and speak Cantonese, Shanghaiese (also known as changes may be made to accommodate alternate PAGE 10 Shanghainese), Fuzhou, Hokkien-Taiwanese, Xiang, Currency | Credit Cards views. When the NPC is not in session, its permanent Gan and Hakka dialects in the south. Mongolia, Tibet Changing Money | Tipping organ, the Standing Committee, exercises state power. and Xinjiang, have their own languages. English is PAGE 11 spoken by many guides and in hotels but taxi drivers The president, as the head of the state, promulgates Etiquette | Health & Vaccinations do not speak English, even in big cities. laws, appoints the premier, vice premiers, state PAGE 12 councilors, ministers of various ministries and state Communications | What to Pack COMMON PHRASES in Mandarin commissions, the auditor-general, and the secretary- general of the State Council, according to decisions of PAGE 13 Shopping | Customs the National People's Congress and its standing Hello Ni hao committee. How are you? Ni hao ma? PAGE 14-15 Thank you Xiexie Food & Drinks The state administrative organs of China include the You're welcome Bu keqi PAGE 16-17 central and local administrative organs. The central Goodbye Zaijian Culture & The Arts | Religion administrative organ is the Central People's Please Quing I'm sorry Duibuqi Government, better known as the State Council. Local administrative organs are local people's governments What is your name? Ni jiao shenme mingzi? at four levels: the provinces (autonomous regions and My name is _________ Wo Jiao centrally administered municipalities), cities and Yes No word in Chinese language for yes prefectures, counties and township No No word in Chinese language for no Where is the toilet? Cesuo zai nail? How do I get to ________? Zenme qu Water Naam plao How Much? Cudie a? Mandarin does not have specific words for saying “yes” and “no.” Instead, the verb which is used in the Mandarin question is used to make a positive or negative reply.