I guess the problem here is that the article really mixes up two different things: "continuosly existing state" and "continuosly existing civilization". E.g.,

I guess the problem here is that the article really mixes up two different things: "continuosly existing state" and "continuosly existing civilization". E.g., when people talk about Ancient Egypt nobody doubts its continuity even though there were at least 3 Intermediate Periods similar to periods between Chinese dynasties.