China gets a lot of heat in the news these days. If it's not blinding pollution levels in Beijing, it's the protesting in Hong Kong, or the website filtering throughout the mainland. And then there's of course the whole “these islands are ours, not yours” debacle. Whew! So, on that note, what is in fact part of China and NOT part of China? This short-lived conversation with my coworker will help us get started: “Are you staying in China for the holiday?” My coworker asks. “Actually, I'm headed to Taiwan!” I reply. “Taiwan IS China,” she squawks back. Not wanting to argue I say, “Right, then umm, I guess I'm staying in China!” The contestants: The ongoing debate of the autonomous region of Tibet. The slightly confusing Hong Kong debacle with the “one country,
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