German sinologist publishes ‘Greater China Factbook’

“The main reason I wrote the book,” said Aretz, “is because it is precisely the kind of reference material that I wanted to have when I was a student, but could never find.” While mainly for sinologists, it is also suitable for businesspeople and tourists. Contents cover population, ethnic minorities, languages, religion, geography, climate, politics (PRC and ROC in separate sections), economics, history, Chinese zodiac and lunar calendar, weights and measures, and much more.

Aretz is keen to market the book to a wider audience, but finds it unlikely the book will be on sale in bookstores in China anytime soon.

“The book details PRC human rights abuses and clearly states that Taiwan is not a province of the PRC but part of the independent, sovereign Republic of China.”

Inclusion of Taiwan in a book about China, he clarified, is based on the fact that the language and culture of Taiwan’s mainstream society are, to a large extent, Chinese.

Aretz was born in 1965 in Dusseldorf, Germany and grew up in Meerbusch. He studied Chinese literature, history and East Asian politics in Cologne, Freiburg, Taipei and Bochum. After graduation, he moved to Taiwan with his Taiwanese wife in September 1994. He currently lives and works in Taipei.

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