Maps has a Chinese version to apply regulation and legal under http://www.google.cn/maps and api point is http://www.google.cn/maps/api/js. It's public access in China while .com one is not available because Great Fire Wall.
Add a country or other optional parameter to specify the Maps is very useful for web developers.
BTW, in my experience, http://www.google.cn/maps/api/js and https://www.google.com/maps/api/js share the same codebase and functional but different tiles resources.