In simplified Chinese, the set of letters so strongly supported to replace a much more complex set of characters, the word China is written as 中国. The first sign meaning center, the second meaning country.
The second character looks like the sign 王, meaning monarch (and also one of the most common last names), but can be also used to describe something precious, like a crown, that is sheltered by a wall.
The translation of China being “The Middle Kingdom” or “Das Reich der Mitte” is an old one, but the introduction of the simplified characters started in 1952 by Mao Zedong that taught millions of people to read and write, gave a simple explanation for China’s policies at that time:
China is a valuable Gem, that needs to be protected by a wall and sheltered from malicious influences that come from outside.

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