Where is the license plate 'Gang A' from?
2 Answers
Currently, there is no license plate with 'Gang A'. Vehicles from Hong Kong entering mainland China are registered with Hong Kong local license plates (front plate with white background and black characters, rear plate with yellow background and black characters) and a black background with white characters and white border license plate issued by the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department Vehicle Management Office, marked as 'Yue Zxxx Gang'. The first Chinese character on the license plate represents the province or municipality directly under the central government, and the letter following the first Chinese character represents the city or district. From the first Chinese character and the subsequent letter, you can determine where the vehicle belongs. A license plate is mandatory for every car to legally drive on the road. After purchasing a new or used car, the first thing to do is to register the plate at the vehicle management office; otherwise, the car cannot be driven on the road.
I once saw a license plate with 'Gang A' on it and initially thought it referred to Hong Kong. However, in the mainland China license plate system, there is no official code for 'Gang A.' It actually means 'Yue A,' representing Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Many veteran car owners, like us, used to confuse it because the pronunciation of 'Yue' in the southern dialect sounds similar to 'Gang,' leading to misreading. License plates are a symbol of identity, and people often prefer auspicious numbers when choosing them, but the basic coding is uniformly regulated by the Ministry of Public Security. Each province uses its initial letter followed by a letter, such as 'Jing A' for Beijing and 'Hu A' for Shanghai. As a major city, Guangzhou has many new cars with 'Yue A' plates. It's best to understand the origin of the license plate before traveling to avoid getting lost in unfamiliar areas. I recommend checking official automotive guides to maintain accurate knowledge about vehicles.
