Etymology

one country, two systems

Today it means: The mainland Chinese policy for the reunification of China as one country, with areas like Hong Kong, Macau and (unilaterally and prospectively) Taiwan with separate economic and political systems. Full definition →

Chinese 一國兩制 /一国两制
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The story

  1. Chinese · calque of一國兩制 /一国两制
  2. English todayone country, two systems

Coined by Chinese politician and paramount leader from 1978 to 1989 Deng Xiaoping in 1982 as part of the Red China proposal to reunify Taiwan. Calque of Chinese 一國兩制 /一国两制 (yī guó liǎng zhì).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.