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Why do Chinese sources often call Manchuria the Northeast or the Northeast Provinces?

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Map of eastern Asia highlighting Manchuria in northeastern China, which includes the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The highlighted area borders Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. — Manchuria The historical region of Manchuria shown with the boundaries of the modern-day Chinese provinces in its place as well as the portion of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that is often considered part of Manchuria.

In China, the historical region of Manchuria is commonly referred to as the "Northeast" or the "Northeast Provinces" because it is geographically situated in the northeastern portion of the country.1

This terminology reflects the region's administrative and physical location within China, specifically encompassing the modern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. The use of these names emphasizes the region's integration into the Chinese state, a process that occurred over centuries as the area was increasingly settled by Chinese immigrants and incorporated into the broader Chinese cultural and political sphere.123