China is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia. With a population of over 1.4 billion, it is the world's most populous country. The state is governed by the Communist Party of China and its capital is Beijing. The country's major urban areas include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Hong Kong. China is a great power and a major regional power within Asia and has been characterized as a potential superpower.