Asian Geographic2017

2001

China joins the World

Trade Organization

2003

North Korea withdraws

from the Nuclear Non-

Proliferation Treaty.

Nepalese Maoist rebels

and the government

declare a ceasefire,

after nearly a decade of

bloodshed and failed

peace talks

1989

Vietnamese troops

withdraw from Cambodia.

The pro-democracy

student-led Tiananmen

Square protests break

out in China

1995

The Nepalese

communist government

is dissolved, which

is met with a Maoist

revolt aimed at

abolishing the

Nepalese monarchy,

leaving thousands of

people dead

1985
North Korea joins
the international
Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty,
to be accused less
than a decade later of
violating its terms

China

PoPulation 1.35 billion

PResident: Xi JinPinG

In 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

came into power after defeating the nationalist

opposition, which withdrew to Taiwan. Mainland

China operated under the authoritarian socialism

of founder Mao Zedong, until the country shifted

its economic policies to adopt a capitalist market

economy. However, the economic sea change

has not translated to the political sphere, which

is still dominated by communist ideology.

Xi Jinping became president in 2012, and is

seen to be detracting from collectivism.

However, he still rejects Western democracy,

and clamps down on any criticism of the party.

Laos

PoPulation 6.4 million

PResident: bounnhanG voRaChith

Laos was a French colony until 1953, after which

the country was gripped by conflict between the

communist party, Pathet Lao, and the royalists,

until the latter was overthrown in 1975. With the

communist party in power, Laos was isolated

for decades, until the collapse of the Soviet

Union in the 1990s. Economic reforms were

implemented, but the country remains poor and

reliant on foreign aid. The current president

is Bounnhang Vorachith – head of the Lao

People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

CHINA

NORTH

KOREA

VIETNAM

LAOS

North Korea

PoPulation 24.5 million

suPReme leadeR: kim JonG-un

North Korea remains the most closed-off

society in the world. After WWII, northern Korea

surrendered to the Soviets, while those in

southern Korea surrendered to the Americans;

the states were separated along the 38th parallel

of latitude. South Korea’s economy flourished

under a string of capitalist dictatorships and

the country eventually became a democracy.

North Korea remains communist, ruled by the

same family for three generations: Kim Il-sung,

followed by his son Kim Jong-il, and now the

grandson Kim Jong-un. North Korea continues its

militaristic policy, generating much international

anxiety about its nuclear programme.

Communist Countries

Former Communist

Countries

leGends