The People’s Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949, with Beijing as its capital city.  With well over 1.3 billion citizens, China is the world's most populous country . China is undergoing rapid, profound economic and social change and development.  Modern tourist facilities are available in major cities, but many facilities in smaller provincial cities and rural areas are frequently below international standards. 

China's tourism industry has become one of the hot spots in the country's already sizzling economy. As the country becomes increasingly ‘tourist-friendly' with improvements to infrastructure and transportation, especially at major tourist sites, the number of overseas visitors to China grows each year.