China at the Olympics

China at the All-time Olympic Games
IOC code	CHN
NOC	Chinese Olympic Committee
Website	www.olympic.cn (in Chinese)
Medals Ranked 5th	Gold 285 Silver 231 Bronze 197 Total 713
Summer appearances
1952 1956–1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winter appearances
1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Other related appearances
Republic of China (1924–1972)

Originally having participated in Olympics as the delegation of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1924 Summer Olympics to 1976 Winter Olympics, China competed at the Olympic Games under the name of the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the first time in 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland, although they only arrived in time during the last days to participate in a one event.^[1] That year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed both the PRC and ROC (Republic of China) (which fled to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War) to compete with the name "China", although the latter withdrew in protest.^[1] Due to the dispute over the political status of the "two Chinas", the PRC started a period of isolationism, withdrawing from several international sporting bodies and the UN system until the mid-1970s, when the country participated for the first time in the Asian Games in 1974 and the World University Games in 1977. Returning to the IOC officially only in 1979, which gave it the right to send an official delegation, starting from the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States.^[1] Their first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games after 1952 was the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.^[2][3] The People's Republic of China staged boycotts of the Games of the XVI Olympiad in Melbourne, Australia, Games of the XVII Olympiad in Rome, Italy, Games of the XVIII Olympiad in Tokyo, Japan, Games of the XIX Olympiad in Mexico City, Mexico, Games of the XX Olympiad in Munich, Germany, and Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal, Canada. China also boycotted the Games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow, USSR due to the American-led boycott and the ongoing Sino-Soviet split, together with the other countries.

As of 2022, China has finished first in the Summer Olympics once, second three times, and third twice. With the nation's 11th appearance at the Summer and 12th appearance at the Winter Olympics, China is the most successful country overall in the Asia–Oceania region, making them the 4th most successful country in Olympic history, after the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain.

The Chinese Olympic Committee in its current form was recognized in 1979.^[1] Before the Chinese Civil War, athletes competed as the Republic of China (ROC) at the Olympics. The ROC continued to compete from 1952 (Summer Olympics) to 1976 (Winter Olympics), but only representing athletes from the island of Taiwan (although the football team members of ROC in the 1960 Summer Olympic Games were overseas Hong Kongers). The dispute over use of the name China resulted in the PRC boycotting the Games completely during these years. In 1979, the International Olympic Committee The two parties signed the Nagoya Protocol in which both National Olympic Committees recognized each other. However, the name "China" would be owned by the National Olympic Committee of the People's Republic of China, based in Beijing. While, from now on, the Headquartered in Taipei, it would be called as Chinese Taipei,which also regulated the use of national symbols during the Games and any related event. And this reopened the door for the PRC to finally join the Olympic movement.^[1]

Hong Kong has had a distinct National Olympic Committee since 1950 and has competed at the Games since 1952.^[4] After the territory was returned to the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was created in 1997, this arrangement has continued, with Hong Kong competing independently from the rest of the nation under the name Hong Kong, China.^[4]