Mainland China (simplified Chinese: 中国大陆; traditional Chinese: 中國大陸; pinyin: Zhōnggúo Dàlù, lit. "The Chinese Massive Landmass" or "Continental China") is an informal geographical term which is usually synonymous with the area currently administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC); however, it usually excludes the two Special Administrative Regions administered by the People's Republic of China: Hong Kong and Macau, which are governed under the "one country, two systems" policy and have a high degree of autonomy. The term is almost always used in the text of distinguishing Mainland China from Taiwan and other islands administered by the Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC):Penghu, Quemoy, and Matsu islands.
"Mainland China" (Zhōngguó dàlù) or simply ("the Mainland") is widely used by Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and in overseas Chinese communities. This term is neutral toward the political status of Taiwan, Republic of China and implies an existence or extension of the political administration of China beyond the mainland (i.e. to Taiwan). This connotation of a broader China without specifiying which China and how many Chinas enables Chinese from all around the world to communicate without triggering political differences. However, "Mainland China" is almost never used by by those in Taiwan and beyond who support independence of Taiwan from China (both the People's Republic China and the Republic of China). These supporters of Taiwanese independence refer to the mainland simply as "China" without the mainland modifier to suggest any extension/existence of China to Taiwan, which they simply call "Taiwan" without the "ROC" modifier.
On the Mainland, the term Zhōngguó nèidì (內地 "the interior of China") is also used to distinguish Mainland China from Taiwan, Hong Kong and/or Macau.
In Taiwan, the term Mainlander can refer to wàishěng rén (外省人, literal meaning: "external province person(s)"), who are the people who emigrated to Taiwan from areas not under ROC control since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949; children of wàishěng rén, though born in Taiwan, can also be referred to as wàishěng rén. The term Mainlander can also refer to dàlù rén (大陸人, literal meaning: "Mainland person(s)"), meaning the people who live on the Mainland now and the very small number of people who have emigrated to Taiwan recently. These meanings include Hongkongers like Ma Ying-jeou.
Relations between Mainland China and Taiwan are typically known in Chinese as liǎng'àn guānxì (兩岸關係), which literally means "relations between the two sides/coasts(of the Strait of Taiwan)" and is known in English as "cross-straits relations". The term haixia liǎng'àn (two coasts) is often used when describing Mainland China and Taiwan collectively.
When Hong Kong is involved, the term liǎng'àn sāndì (literally two shores, three places) is used. The term is used more often since the transfers of sovereignty, to the People's Republic of China, of Hong Kong in 1997 and Macau in 1999. Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have different customs and immigration control, passports, currencies, stamps, judiciary systems and courts of last resort, public finance, extradition, etc.