History and Political Geography in China

History and Political Geography in China
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Background
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. More than 3,000 years ago, the first dynasties of kings and emperors emerged, and there were fights among the emperors and alliances to rule over China. For centuries, the Chinese emperors extended their rule in Asia and even reached Europe via the Silk Road. To defend themselves against the invasions by other peoples, the Chinese built the Great Wall of China. Various dynasties expanded the Chinese empire into a territory with a diverse culture, customs, and traditions. Chinese writing was invented and is pictograms and symbols, which provide aspects of ancient Chinese culture. Chinese dynasties, empires, the Chinese civil war, communism, and the One Belt One Road initiative are some of the monumental periods in Chinese history.
Background on Geography
The Chinese Empire in East Asia largely bordered modern-day China bordering the western shore of the Pacific Ocean and is the largest nation in Asia (Hartmann & Ye, 2014). China shares land borders with 14 nations and is separated from some countries by mountainous regions, deserts, and seas. Tibet in western China is a highly mountainous region, as is the Himalayas (Hartmann & Ye, 2014). The North China Plain (Huabei Pingyuan) in eastern China is the largest flatland lowland in China and the world (Hartmann & Ye, 2014). China's three major rivers are the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and the West River (Veeck et al., 2011).
Dynasties up to the Qing or Manchu (1644 to 1911/12)
The civilization of ancient China dates back thousands of years where there were different dynasties and expansion of the empire towards Central Asia. Chinese society has progressed through primitive society, slave society, feudal society, semi-feudal and communist society, while the dynastic period shaped the country's place in the world. There was a succession of various emperors and dynasties such as Xia, Zhou, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The rise and fall of the great Chinese dynasties have greatly influenced Chinese history in Asia. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, China adopted communism. 
Xia Dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) was the first major dynasty, but little is known about the emperor and administration system, unlike the subsequent dynasties up to the Qing dynasty. The Ming dynasty (1368-1644) was the second to the last of the great Chinese dynasties. The Ming dynasty finished the Great Wall and built the Forbidden City Place in 1420, and this was a huge palace for the emperor. The dynasty was established after overthrowing the Mongol government established under the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) (Chao-Fong, 2020). The Mongols had defeated the Song dynasty (960-1279) during a long war period when the Mongols were under Kublai Khan (Chao-Fong, 2020). Finally, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the last imperial dynasty, marked the end of the emperors and changes in the country's political landscape (Chao-Fong, 2020).
Background on the Communist Revolution
The revolutionary process responsible for bringing the Communists to power in China took place over a long period of political upheavals and transformations throughout the first half of the 20th century. These transformations began in 1911 when the Qing or Manchu Dynasty was no longer in power during the 1911 Revolution ( Xinhai Revolution). The overthrow of the Chinese monarchy resulted from the growth of Chinese nationalism, which advocated the establishment of a republic and transformations that would guarantee the withdrawal of imperialists from Chinese territory. Thus, 1911 was the beginning of the Republic of China. However, there was a period of political instability after 1911 where there were fights and battles for the country's future. During the Outer Mongolian Revolution of 1911, Outer Mongolia declared independence from Qing China and was formally recognized as separate from China in 1945 (Ginsburg, 1952).
After the 1911 Revolution, a provisional government was formed under the head of the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang). However, the government was short-lived and ended in 1912. From then on, political instability and in the years 1912 to 1927, there were attempts to implement an authoritarian regime and even restore the monarchy. There were also separatist movements' different parts of the country, which threatened China's territorial integrity of China. The country's political sovereignty was further threatened by foreign rule, making it challenging for the Chinese nationalist to rule.
In the midst of upheaval and political uncertainty, the communists took over in Russia in 1917, inspiring the Chinese communists. One of the most noticeable changes was the growth of the labor movement and the mobilization of workers from 1919. The labor workers were the backbone of the Chinese Communist Party founded in 1921, and the party mobilized the Chinese working class. Among these members was Mao Zedong, who became the Communist leader and president later on and remained one of the most recognizable personalities in modern China.
Civil war and Japanese Invasion
After the Communist Party was founded, the Soviet Union mediated relations between the Communists and the nationalists. As a result, the nationalists and communists worked together under nationalist command. Between 1924 and 1927, the separatists fought over in southern China, and nationalists faced challenges to maintain stability and power. During this period, there was a communist movement that grew stronger among the peasants. From 1927 to 1937, there was war between communists and nationalists. During this period, the war between the two warring factions in China was interrupted by Japan, which was a common enemy. The Japanese ambitions to take over some of the Chinese territories since the late 19th century and renewed their efforts in the 1930s intensified their actions against the Chinese.
The Chinese Civil War (1945–49)
The Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party became dominant parties with different ideologies. Between 1927 and 1950, there was a military struggle between the Kuomintang and the communist. The communists defeated the Kuomintang government in 1949 where the Kuomintang leaders and supporters fled to Taiwan. In the years after the Chinese Revolution, the nationalists who were defeated moved to Taiwan.
Communist takeover
Communists have led China since the end of the civil war. Mao Zedong undertook changes based on communist ideals, which influence China's political structure and economic policies (Office of the Historian, 2021). After the communist takeover, efforts to consolidate areas that are now part of China stretch to northeastern India and northern ...