Provinces of China the province, rather than the nominal governor of the provincial government. The government of each standard province () is nominally led by a provincial committee, headed by a secretary. The committee secretary is first-in-charge of the province; second-in-command is the governor of the provincial government. The People's Republic of China (PRC) claims the island of Taiwan and its surrounding islets, including Penghu, as "Taiwan Province", though Taiwan has not been under control of a government that ruled from mainland China since 1949, when the Republic of China lost the mainland to the Communist Party of China, which established the PRC.
History of the administrative divisions of China (1912–49) of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian (2000–2008) did not actively claim sovereignty over all of China, Thus, the claimed area of the ROC continues to include mainland China, several off-shore islands, and Taiwan. Beginning in 2006, the ROC Yearbook, under Chen's administration, ceased displaying official administrative divisions in mainland China. It recognized two provinces (Taiwan and Fukien) and two special municipalities (Taipei and Kaohsiung). President Ma Ying-jeou reasserted the ROC's claim to be the sole legitimate government of China and the claim that mainland China is part of ROC's territory. He does not, however, actively seek reunification, and prefers to maintain