CREATE TABLE table_204_174 (id DECIMAL, "rank" DECIMAL, "name" TEXT, "nationality" TEXT, "result" DECIMAL, "notes" TEXT)

what country ranks before china ?
SELECT "nationality" FROM table_204_174 WHERE "rank" = (SELECT "rank" FROM table_204_174 WHERE "nationality" = 'china') - 1
SELECT "nationality" FROM "table_204_174" WHERE "rank" = (SELECT "rank" FROM "table_204_174" WHERE "nationality" = 'china') - 1