Simplified Chinese is a writing system used primarily in China and Singapore. It was developed in the 1950s to increase literacy by simplifying the number of strokes in traditional Chinese characters. This system makes it easier for learners to read and write. The simplified characters are officially used in mainland China, while Traditional Chinese characters are still prevalent in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Both systems represent the same spoken language, Mandarin, but differ in their written forms. Simplified Chinese has become the standard for most educational and official purposes in regions where it is used.