Chine is a French noun (pronouced as in machine without ma), it is female form, it means China in English, C needs to be capitalized. In French you write la before Chine. La is a definite article for a feminine noun as the in English.
chine could also be name of male form, it means pocelain, or race paper, it needs not to be capitalized. In French you write le before chine. Le is a definite article for a masculine noun as the in English.
in this dictionary:
in this dictionary: