Special administrative regions of China

The special administrative regions (SAR) of the People's Republic of China are one of the provincial-level autonomous administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China directly under the control of its Central People's Government (State Council), being integral areas of the country. As a region, they possess the highest degree of autonomy from China. However, despite the relative autonomy that the Central People's Government offers the special administrative regions, the National People's Congress remains capable of enforcing laws for the special administrative regions.[3]

Special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China
National flag of the People's Republic of China
Regional flags of Hong Kong and Macau
Hong Kong and Macau on the Pearl River Delta, South China
Official languages	Chinese (Hong Kong, Macau) English (Hong Kong) Portuguese (Macau)
Official script	Traditional Chinese Latin script
Demonym(s)	Hongkonger Hong Kongese (Hong Kong) Macanese (Macau)
Special Administrative Regions	Hong Kong  Macau
Government	One country, two systems
• CCP General Secretary President of China	Xi Jinping
• Premier of China	Li Keqiang
• Congress Chairman	Li Zhanshu
• Leader of the CCP Central Leading Group	Han Zheng
• Director of the Affairs Office	Xia Baolong
• Chief Executive of Hong Kong	John Lee Ka-chiu
• Chief Executive of Macau	Ho Iat Seng
Area
• Total	2,870.27 km2 (1,108.22 sq mi)
Population
• 2014[lower-alpha 1] estimate	7,858,800[1][2]
• Density	6,920/km2 (17,922.7/sq mi)
Currency	Hong Kong dollar (Hong Kong, Macau) Macanese pataca (Macau)
Date format	yyyy年m月d日 or yyyy-mm-dd or dd/mm/yyyy (CE; CE-1949)
Second quarter

Politics of China
Leadership Leadership generations Succession of power Hu–Wen Administration (2002–2012) Xi–Li Administration (2012–2017) Xi Administration (since 2017) 4th Leadership Core: Xi Jinping 20th Party Politburo: Xi Jinping 14th State Council: Li Qiang Current state leaders Current provincial leaders National leaders Orders of precedence Paramount leader: Xi Jinping Communist Party leader: Xi Jinping Head of state: Xi Jinping Head of government: Li Qiang Congress Chairman: Zhao Leji Conference Chairman: Wang Huning Commander-in-chief: Xi Jinping Politburo Standing Committee members Related systems Democratic centralism Collective leadership Organization Department Elections Civil service
Communist Party History Principal leaders Constitution Admission Oath (Article 6) Organization National Party Congress (20th) Central Committee (20th) General Secretary (list) Xi Jinping Central Politburo (20th) Standing Committee (list) Central Secretariat Top-ranked secretary: Cai Qi Central Military Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice Chairman: Zhang Youxia, He Weidong National Security Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice-Chairman: Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu Office Chief: Ding Xuexiang Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Directors: Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng Secretary-General: Wang Huning Financial & Economic Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Keqiang Office Chief: Liu He General Office Director: Cai Qi Office of the General Secretary Chief: Cai Qi Central Guard Bureau Central Guard Unit Office of the Central Secrecy Commission Organization Department Head: Chen Xi Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Standing Committee (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Provincial committee Standing committee Secretary Deputy secretaries
United front Political Consultative Conference National Committee Chairman: Wang Huning Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Shi Taifeng Secretary-General: Wang Dongfeng Political parties: CCP (ruling) United Front Work Department Head: Shi Taifeng RCCK CDL CDNCA CAPD CPWDP CZGP JS TDSL Historical parties: KMT CDSP CYP Federation of Industry and Commerce People's organizations
Ideology Socialism with Chinese characteristics Communism Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought Deng Xiaoping Theory Primary stage of socialism Four Cardinal Principles Three Represents Scientific Outlook on Development Harmonious Socialist Society Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Chinese Dream Four Comprehensives Two Establishes and Two Safeguards
Constitution Law Constitution Previous constitutions 1954 1975 1978 "People's democratic dictatorship" (Article 1) Democratic centralism (Article 3) Constitutional oath of office (Article 27) Protection of human rights (Article 33) Freedom of religion (Article 36) Chinese legal system Civil law tradition Socialist law tradition Laws Legislation Law List of statutes General Principles of the Civil Law (to 2020) Civil Code (From 2021) Marriage Law Labour law Labour Law Labour Contract Law Property law Property Law Intellectual property law Patent law Administrative law Administrative Procedure Law Criminal law Capital punishment Capital offences Death sentence with reprieve
Legislative National People's Congress (13th) Members Plenary sessions Voting results Presidium Standing Committee Chairman: Zhao Leji Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Li Hongzhong Secretary-General: Liu Qi Council of Chairpersons Members Special committees Ethnic Affairs Constitution and Law Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Financial and Economic Affairs Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Foreign Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Agriculture and Rural Affairs Social Development Affairs Legislation Law Elections
Presidency President (list): Xi Jinping Presidential spouse: Peng Liyuan Presidential Office Chief: Cai Qi Vice President: Han Zheng
Executive State Council (Central People's Government) Li Qiang Cabinet Premier (list): Li Qiang Vice-Premiers (list) Ding Xuexiang He Lifeng Zhang Guoqing Liu Guozhong State Councilors Li Shangfu Wang Xiaohong Wu Zhenglong Shen Yiqin Qin Gang Secretary-General: Wu Zhenglong Cabinet-level departments National Development & Reform Commission Central bank National Audit Office General Office Secretary-General Deputy Secretaries-General State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission most Central Enterprises
Military Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman (supreme commander): Xi Jinping Vice Chairman: Zhang Youxia He Weidong Members: Li Shangfu Liu Zhenli Miao Hua Zhang Shengmin Departments: General Office Director: Zhong Shaojun Joint Staff Dept. Chief: Liu Zhenli Political Work Dept. Director: Miao Hua Logistic Support Dept. Director: Zhang Lin Equipment Development Dept. Director: Xu Xueqiang Training and Administration Dept. Director: Wang Peng National Defense Mobilization Dept. Director: Liu Faqing Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Politics and Legal Affairs Commission Science and Technology Commission Strategic Planning Office Reform & Organizational Structure Office Int'l Military Cooperation Office Audit Office Offices Administration Agency National armed forces: People's Liberation Army Theater commands People's Armed Police China Coast Guard Militia State Council National Defense Mobilization Commission Chairman: Li Qiang Ministry of National Defense Minister: Li Shangfu Ministry of Veterans Affairs State Administration for Sci., Tech. & Industry for National Defense Military history Armed conflicts Military modernization Military reform since 2015 CMC Leading Group for Military Reform Leader: Xi Jinping
Supervision Corruption in China Anti-corruption campaign since 2012 CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Deputy Secretaries Yang Xiaodu Zhang Shengmin Liu Jinguo Yang Xiaochao Li Shulei Xu Lingyi Xiao Pei Chen Xiaojiang Secretary-General: Yang Xiaochao National Supervisory Commission Director: Liu Jinguo Central Leading Group for Inspection Work Leader: Li Xi Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong) Commission Against Corruption (Macau)
Judiciary Law enforcement CCP Central Politics and Law Commission Secretary: Chen Wenqing Supreme People's Court President: Zhang Jun People's Courts Judicial Police Supreme People's Procuratorate Prosecutor General: Ying Yong People's Procuratorates Judicial Police State Council Ministry of Public Security Minister: Wang Xiaohong Public Security Organs People's Police State Immigration Administration Local public security bureaus Ministry of State Security Minister: Chen Yixin State Security Organs People's Police Ministry of Justice Minister: Fu Zhenghua Judicial Administrative Organs People's Police Bureau of Prison Administration [zh] Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR Urban Management (chengguan) Judiciary of Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Department of Justice Prosecutions Division Law enforcement in Hong Kong Security Bureau Regular Disciplined Services Hong Kong Police Force Judiciary of Macau Court of Final Appeal Public Prosecutions Office Secretariat for Security Macau Security Force Unitary Police Services [zh] Public Security Police Judiciary Police [zh]
Propaganda Central Leading Group for Propaganda and Ideology Leader: Wang Huning Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization Director: Wang Huning Deputy Director: Huang Kunming Central Propaganda Department Head: Li Shulei National Press and Publication Administration China Film Administration State Council Information Office China Daily Ministry of Culture and Tourism National Radio and Television Administration China Media Group China Central Television China Global Television Network China National Radio China Radio International Xinhua News Agency Reference News China News Service People's Daily Global Times China Today Censorship in China Radio jamming Overseas censorship of Chinese issues Media of China Internal media Publishing industry in China Internet in China Internet censorship Great Firewall Great Cannon Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy director: Li Keqiang Cyberspace Administration of China Director: Xu Lin
Hong Kong Macau Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Leader: Ding Xuexiang HK & Macau Affairs Office Director: Xia Baolong Liaison Office in Hong Kong Liaison Office in Macau One country, two systems Special administrative regions Hong Kong Basic Law Chief Executive: John Lee Hong Kong SAR Government Politics of Hong Kong Independence movement Mainland & HK CEPA Macao Basic Law Chief Executive: Ho Iat-seng Macau SAR Government Politics of Macau Mainland & Macau CEPA
Cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations Chinese Civil War One China Political status of Taiwan Republic of China on Taiwan Taiwan Area "Taiwan Province", PRC Taiwan independence movement Anti-Secession Law Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement Chinese unification Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs Leader: Xi Jinping Deputy Leader: Wang Yang Taiwan Affairs Office Director: Song Tao Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits
Foreign relations Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Keqiang Secretary-General: Wang Yi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Qin Gang Spokespersons Diplomatic missions Diplomatic missions of China / in China Foreign aid from China / to China International Development Cooperation Agency Ministry of Commerce Exim Bank of China China Development Bank Belt and Road Initiative Silk Road Fund Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank BRICS New Development Bank Ministry of National Defense International Military Cooperation Office NPC Foreign Affairs Committee CCP International Liaison Department State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Chinese nationality law Chinese passports (Hong Kong; Macau) Visa requirements for Chinese citizens (Hong Kong, Macau) Visa policy of China (Hong Kong; Macau) National Immigration Administration Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Panda diplomacy Beijing Consensus Community of Common Destiny China and the United Nations China and the World Trade Organization Shanghai Cooperation Organisation China–Africa relations China–Arab relations China–Caribbean relations China–European Union relations China–Latin America relations China–Pacific relations China–Russia relations China–United States relations
Related topics Administrative divisions Hukou system Family planning Ethnic minorities
China portal Other countries
v t e

The legal basis for the establishment of SARs, unlike the other administrative divisions of China, is provided for by Article 31, rather than Article 30, of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China of 1982. Article 31 reads: "The state may establish special administrative regions when necessary. The systems to be instituted in special administrative regions shall be prescribed by law enacted by the National People's Congress in the light of the specific conditions".[4][5][6][7]

At present, there are two SARs established according to the Constitution, namely the Hong Kong SAR and the Macau SAR, former British and Portuguese dependencies, respectively,[8] transferred to China in 1997 and 1999, respectively, pursuant to the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 and the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration of 1987. Pursuant to their Joint Declarations, which are binding inter-state treaties registered with the United Nations, and their Basic laws, the Chinese SARs "shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy".[9] Generally, the two SARs are not considered to constitute a part of Mainland China, by both SAR and mainland Chinese authorities.

The provision to establish special administrative regions appeared in the constitution in 1982, in anticipation of the talks with the United Kingdom over the question of the sovereignty over Hong Kong. It was envisioned as the model for the eventual unification with Taiwan and other islands, where the Republic of China has resided since 1949.

Under the one country, two systems principle, the Chinese Central Government is responsible for the diplomatic, military and other state-level affairs of the two SARs. But two SARs continue to possess their own multi-party legislatures, legal systems, police forces, separate customs territory, immigration policies, left-hand traffic,[10] official languages, academic and educational systems, representation on certain international bodies and representation in international competitions, and other aspects that falls within the autonomous level.

Special administrative regions should not be confused with special economic zones, which are areas in which special economic laws apply to promote trade and investments. The Wolong Special Administrative Region in Sichuan province is a nature reserve, and not a political division.