Unlike the European colonial powers, the Chinese Empire expanded primarily through regional conquests and tributary systems rather than overseas colonisation. Historically, Chinese imperial expansion focused on East and Central Asia, incorporating territories such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Manchuria over the centuries. The Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) significantly extended China's borders and consolidated control over ethnic minority regions and neighboring states. While China did not colonize territories in Africa, its imperial reach in Asia often mirrored colonial models through cultural assimilation and military occupation.

Here you can browse, search, and explore stamps from the Chinese occupation and imperial era, reflecting the territorial scope and imperial history of the Chinese state.