Hong Kong, Taiwan vis-à-vis China

Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the United Kingdom on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong was designated as a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997. Under this special agreement, China accepted "one country, two systems" formula and promised not to impose its socialist system on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defence affairs for the next 50 years. Accordingly, The World Fact Book reports economic and demographic statistics of Hong Kong separately like any other country. Even China treats all exports and imports that pass through Hong Kong separately from those of the mainland for accounting gimmick.

With respect to Taiwan, the pressing unresolved political issues include the status of Taiwan and its relationship with China, the form of eventual unification as well as domestic political and economic reform.