Heijiang

Shangean Republic of Heijiang 黑疆晓东民族共和国
Flag Emblem
Anthem:    共和国永远是春天 Gònghéguó yǒngyuǎn shì chūntiān National ideology: National Principlism
Status	Partially recognised state
Capital and largest city	Chashan
Official languages	Shangean
Ethnic groups	List of ethnicities 73% Xiao 12% Jou 9% Kasi Suen 3% Svai 2% Lue 1% Kasi
Demonym(s)	Heijiangese
Government	Unitary semi-presidential republic
• President	Pan Jiayong
• Premier	Xiong Meiying
Legislature	Legislative Council
Partially recognised independence from Kuthina
• Statute of Independence	18 November 2008
• Operation Eastern Protection	14 January 2009 - 18 March 2009
Population
• Census	8,394,746
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$27,333 million
• Per capita	$3,256
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$6,228 million
• Per capita	$742
Currency	Kuai
Driving side	left
Calling code	+56 743

The Shangean Republic of Heijiang (Shangean: 黑疆晓东民族共和国; Hēijiāng Xiǎodōng Mínzú Gònghéguó, literally "Heijiang Shangea-National Republic") is an unrecognised state in southern Coius. Bordered by Siamat, Kuthina and Shangea, the state is only recognised by a handful of countries with the majority of nations recognising it as being part of the Hameung province in Kuthina.

Heijiang has traditionally been part of both Kasine and Shangean polities, being formally annexed into Kuthina following the conclusion of the Great War. Shangean interference in the region persisted particularly from the 1970s onwards. The 2007 Kuthine coup d'état led to a full blown insurgency in Heijiang and its declaration of independence shortly afterwards. A Shangean military operation in 2009 saw Heijiang's independence secured and it has since been percieved as a client state of Shangea. Attempts to reunify into Kuthina have so far been unsuccessful; Shangea deploys a large amount of troops in the region whilst the Kuthine government maintains that the Heijiang government has failed to protect minority groups and have supported ethnic cleansing.

Heijiang is a {{w[|dominant-party state}} under its founding and so far sole president, Pan Jiayong. Despite previously being an important economic centre in Kuthina since independence an international embargo has led to economic stagnation with unemployment being high despite some growth being highly dependent on Shangea. Heijiang contains numerous sites of both Kasine and Shangean cultural heritage. Heijiang suffers from poverty, corruption and alleged human right abuses.

Government

President Pan Jiayong

Premier Xiong Meiying

Heijiang is currently governed as a unitary semi-presidential republic. The head of state is the President (国家主席; literally "State Chairman") who are elected every five years in a direct election. The head of government is the Premier who leads the Executive Council. The legislature of Heijiang is the Legislative Council which is elected every five years under single non-transferable voting alongside the president. Heijiang's governmental system is based on Shangea's with the Executive Council (行政局) the Legislative Council (立法会) the Judicial Council (司法会) and the Examination Council (考試会) serving as the four branches of government. Unlike in Shangea there is no state presidium with the president handling most of those duties.

The constitution of Heijiang was drafted between December 2008 and was promulgated by the interim administration in May 2009. Based heavily on the Shangea's the constitution outlines Heijiang as a "revolutionary state based on its Shangean ethnic and spiritual heritage" and constitutionally enshrines the country as being a "brother republic to the Auspicious Republic of Shangea".

The main political debate in Heijiang is whether to maintain its status as an independent republic within a confederation with Shangea or merge into Shangea as a special administrative region. Since 2016 the government has announced it would explore amending the constitution to make unification with Shangea a "strategic priority".

The president of Heijiang is Pan Jiayong, who previously served as the interim chief of government from January 2009 to his election as president in July the same year, having being re-elected in 2014 and 2019. Pan is officially a political independent but is seen as pro-Shangea and a supporter of unification. The premier is Xiong Meiying, who has served as premier since 2019 as well as a previous stint from 2011-2012. The main political party in Heijiang is the Harmony Association that has consistently won supermajorites in the legislative council although is split between pro-Shangean and more pro-independence wings. The other parties in the legislature is the Social Democratic League and the National Democratic Party which is considered to be the only cross-ethnic party in Heijiang representing both ethnic Xiaos and Kasines.

Due to Heijiang's international isolation and heavy reliance on Shangea it is considered by many to be a puppet state of Shangea. Shangea is seen to have a high amount of influence over Heijiang politics with presidential candidates being seen to be unofficially endorsed by Shangea before running.

International status and foreign relations

Heijiang president Pan Jiayong with his Shangean counterpart Yuan Xiannian.

Following Operation Eastern Protection in early 2009 Shangea has formally recognised Heijiang as a sovereign state, the first CN state to do so. Shangea's recognition of Heijiang prompted criticism from Kuthina, Senria and Ansan and is considered to be a major reason for Kuthina joining SAMSO shortly afterwards. In 2011 the CN formally passed a resolution designating the region as the Kuthine Hameung province under the military occupation of Shangea.

The Community of Nations maintains a peacekeeping force, the Mission de maintien de la paix de la Communauté des Nations à Hameung (MIMPACONHA), on the Heijiang-Kuthine border. Due to the non-recognition of Heijiang by the majority of the CN there is an international embargo on Heijiang meaning the majority of its imports and exports go through Shangea.

In 2009 the Heijiang government signed the Treaty of Mutual Friendship and Prosperity with Shangea. The treaty entrenched Shangean diplomatic ties with Heijiang and allowed Shangea to deploy 60,000 troops in the region as well as build a new airbase for the Shangean airforce. The treaty also enforces a customs union with Shangea. For this reason the treaty is considered to have made Heijiang a client state of Shangea with Shangean military, commercial and political interests having a large amount of influence in Heijiang. Due to the deployment of Shangean troops Heijiang is commonly seen to be in a frozen conflict with Kuthina.

The Heijiang government has expressed support for unifying into Shangea either as a special autonomous region akin to Jindao or as a regular province. The Shangean government has officially been more hesitant to this idea and officially supports the XXX talks with Kuthina regarding a final settlement to the Kuthine-Heijiang conflict. The last round of talks between Shangea and Kuthina fell through in July 2020 after Kuthina rejected the Shangean government's request to include Heijiang representatives at the talks.

Demographics

Ethnic composition of Heijiang (2019 census)

  Xiao (73%)

  Jou (12%)

  Kasi Suen (9%)

  Svai (3%)

  Lue (2%)

  Kasi (1%)

  Other (0%)

Heijiang first held a census in 2019 after a decade of delaying the process. The census found the population to number 8,394,746 people of which the majority were Kasine-Xiaos or Shangean Xiao settlers from Shangea (73%). There are also substantial minorities of Jou (12%) and Kasi Suen (9%) with smaller Svai, Lue and Kasi populations.

Heijiang traditionally has been the centre of ethnic Xiaos in Kuthina. The ethnic Xiao population which speaks the Shen dialect of Shangean is predominantly concentrated on the coast and around the urban regions, with the Kasine population being more prevalent in rural areas. Since the independence of Heijiang expulsions of the have altered the demographic makeup of the region with ethnic Xiao becoming a much larger majority then previously. Some have accused the Heijiangese government of manipulating demographic figures to show a larger majority of ethnic Xiaos.