China

**China**, officially the **People's Republic of China**, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country with a population exceeding 1 billion people. China spans five geographical time zones and borders fourteen countries by land, the most of any country in the world, tied with Russia.

By 2101, China is a vastly different nation compared to what it once was. Since the beginning of history, China has struggled with its own enormity and managing the responsibilities of governing such an expansive nation. It wasn't until the arrival of a synthetic nicknamed the Bodhisattva, that a solution of sorts was discovered, as it introduced a mass of seemingly simple legislations. For example, employees who worked the mandated eight hours a day were granted rebates with local groceries within a one mile radius. The companies who respected the rebates, in turn, were granted discounts with their own suppliers and so on, so forth.

Though initially rudimentary seeming, the complexity of interlocking benefits made for an interesting predicament for those looking to take advantage of the system. Any misstep, no matter how small, cultivated a domino effect that few were willing to risk. The result was a synthetic's world, with a synthetic’s understanding for ethics, superimposed on an autocratic government with fantastic military power. It seemed ludicrous from without, but it worked well enough to allow China to remain stable and even to thrive both before and after the Auton Wars. However, no one truly understands how or why the system works and all attempts to duplicate it elsewhere have failed.

## History

For all of his faults, Chairman Mao Zedong was a revolutionary leader who completely transfigured the face of China. His rule, while autocratic and deeply flawed, allowed the country to rapidly become the world’s largest economy and a key figure in international politics. China grew even more influential in the early decades of the 21st century.

Prior to the Auton Wars, China quickly became a major force in the international space race after sending its first astronauts up to Mars. a secondary team, replete with building material and supplies to construct long-term extraterrestrial settlements soon followed. Unknown to the public, these projects also included the creation of several hundred orbital nuclear satellites, China’s insurance against the burgeoning risk of Autons.

Rebuilding China proved less complicated than managing international politics. During the restoration process, China incorporated a stunning array of new technologies into its infrastructure and architectural design. Many remnants of its ancient civilization, houses, public buildings, and monuments were swept aside. Like the phoenix rising from its own ashes, the nation emerged glittering and awe-inspiring, cold steel and smooth asphalt as far as the eye could see.

It was only several years later that the populace realized that China wasn’t quite the utopian society it appeared to be. A series of seemingly random arrests, coupled with the efforts of suspicious journalists, revealed that surveillance technology had been deployed everywhere. From immunization shots to billboards, to the roads themselves, every aspect of China was now carefully monitored, cross-referenced, managed, and metered for maximum happiness.

## Culture

Despite what Australian popular media would have people believe, life in China is better than it has ever been before. Following the rebuilding of the country, the entire nation now enjoys state-of-the-art infrastructure, a far cry from its cramped, dystopian state in the 1900s. Coupled with the fact that the country’s population is now distributed among its many arcologies, Chinese citizens now benefit from better living environments, an unparalleled education system, and state benefits unmatched by any other nation in the world.

The government practices strict censorship of foreign media, however. Naturally, the populace, especially the younger generation, bristles under the strict control. Hackers, many of which call themselves Creative Commoner Activists, work around the clock to access and disseminate overseas entertainment and news to the public. Few succeed and those who do rarely enjoy their victory for long. The cryptographic algorithms utilized by the government alter with surprising speed, as do the variety of custom-designed security programs. Some theorize that an artificial intelligence might be behind it, although no one knows for sure.

Still, the citizens of China remain content. What little unfiltered information from the outside world that bleeds into China is taken for granted, brushed off as the fanciful imaginings of a jealous outsider. And for good reason. The population enjoys considerable freedom, outside of matters pertinent to other countries. Women are accorded equal rights. Men are given paternity leaves matching those of their spouses. Working hours are government regulated and an excellent basic citizen’s income ensure that no one is ever lacking necessities. In comparison to all that the state provides, the things required of its denizens seem almost inconsequential.

Every resident of China, regardless of whether they were birthed in the country or immigrants, is required to undergo mandatory minor surgery in order to install a variety of augmentations, including a simple identification tag, health monitoring systems, and devices that monitor everything from location to emotional state. The procedure, of course, is free. But the repercussions are long-lasting. Once implanted, the machinery cannot be removed in China — at least not without first traversing a kaleidoscope of court cases. Given the phenomenal price tag involved, few choose that option. Even individuals who emigrate usually continue to maintain their augmentations, an easy feat given that China has licensed the knowledge to a variety of foreign companies. While these implants restrict freedom, they also largely eliminate the possibility of identity theft and the need for passwords or physical keys. These biomonitors are also responsible for the Chinese population’s impressive health and longevity, which is nearly a decade longer than in most other prosperous nations and rivaled only in Japan.

### Crime

Crime is virtually non-existent in China; at least on a superficial level. It is widely known that criminal organizations entered mutually beneficial agreements with the government during the Auton Wars. Chinese officials approached the heads of the local crime gangs, offering an alliance that would allow the organizations to continue profiting while reducing their personal costs. The crime lords, starved for stability and already ragged from defending their territories, said yes.

As a result of this partnership, prostitution, drug dealing, gambling, and other such pursuits have all been legalized, though are strictly monitored. Discrete personnel swiftly remove anyone of an inappropriate age, or lacking the correct licenses and send them for rehabilitation or probationary action. Naturally, all of these conditions are volatile. A bribe of sufficient size can make virtually any sin disappear. Crimes of a more malevolent nature are also handled by this joint partnership between the governments and the Triads. Contract killing is permitted, for example, but only if the victim also belongs to a criminal gang, the relevant parties survive the gauntlet of red tape, and are not outbid by their would-be victim.

This is not to say that China is completely free of lawless behavior. While organized crime is now, albeit somewhat secretly, co-operating with the government, independent ne’er-do-wells still attempt to profit from a growingly complacent society. In a curious twist, unaffiliated miscreants enjoy a greater freedom than they ever had before, as long as they avoid violence. Most citizens are aware of this unique co-operation and as such, are far less likely to report anomalous incidents and non-violent crimes than they normally would, leaving the daring to do as they will. People also understand that government operatives and people who pay sufficiently large bribes can also insure that their actions leave no records and have no consequences and that anyone who looks to closely into such events invites trouble.

On the flip side, discovery and retribution are swifter than ever before. A pickpocket who does so only sporadically or stops after a few days may never be noticed, but one who continues committing crimes is certain to be caught. Also, all but the subtlest violent crime instantly alert the police, leaving anyone foolish enough to commit assault, armed robbery, or any similar offense facing dozens of armed drones backed by well-trained police.

### Daily Life

With China having shed many of its traditions, the country is still groping for an entirely new identity, divorced from its millennia-old history. Today, China brims with artists, hackers, philosophers, and creatives of every other denomination imaginable — each eager to make their mark, and to take advantage of the many benefits provided by the government.

The Neo-Beijing arcology, practically shimmers with color. With the help of Brunei’s bioarchitectural technology, this metropolis is constantly being altered, remodeled, and otherwise rewritten to suit the needs of its general populace. Art festivals take place virtually every other week, many of which have achieved international acclaim. Unlike in the past, officials make no attempt to censor creative work, even allowing blatant political criticism. In order to acquire significant funding, however, individuals must make art pertinent to the country, something many are happy to do.

These freedoms make for many genuinely happy citizens, something that outsiders are often stunned to witness. Especially in Australian media, China is often misrepresented as a walled-up society, where thoughts are heavily policed. The truth is otherwise. The country has more individual liberty now than ever before.

Internal movement in China is unrestricted outside of a high security facilities and travel to and from China is exceedingly easy, depending on where you’re coming from. Visa rules have long since slackened. The country now features the speediest processing time for international travelers. The arduous part of the journey takes place after landing, when visitors are sprayed down with antibacterial spray and checked for Corruption. Entering China without a visa requires the visitor to either belong to one of its thirty-five allies, or to have a sufficient explanation. Visa-facilitated travel requires nothing save an official ID from a UN-recognized nation.