Mao Zedong declared the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. On October 1 of that year, he declared the founding of the PRC in a ceremony held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. This event marked the beginning of the Chinese Communist Revolution and signaled the end of the Republic of China (ROC) as the governing power of China.
The decision to establish the PRC was made earlier at the second plenary session of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1945. At that time, the CCP leadership decided to dissolve the KMT power structure, overthrow the ROC government, and to launch a campaign of civil war against the ruling Nationalists. To this end, the CCP mobilized its revolutionary forces, known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and launched an offensive against the Nationalist army in 1947. The conflict lasted until 1949, with the PLA ultimately emerging victorious and the ROC fleeing to Taiwan.
At the same time, the CCP established a new government in Yan’an, led by Mao Zedong. In April 1949, the CCP and its allies declared the establishment of a Provisional Government of the People’s Republic of China. This government served as the government-in-exile during the civil war, with Mao Zedong in charge and Liu Shaoqi as Acting President.
At the start of October 1949, the CCP agreed to a ceasefire with the Nationalists, which allowed the People’s Liberation Army to take control of Beijing. On October 1, Mao Zedong addressed the crowd in Tiananmen Square and declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This act signified the official end of the civil war and the start of the new era in Chinese history.
The newly established People’s Republic of China was a radical departure from the Republic of China government. Based on Marxist-Leninist principles, it introduced sweeping reforms in the political, economic, and social spheres, including the introduction of land reform, the nationalization of industry, the emancipation of women, the introduction of universal education, and the elimination of hunger and poverty. This new government also initiated a foreign policy based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which stressed the principles of mutual respect, non-aggression, mutual non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit.
The People’s Republic of China has since become one of the most powerful and influential countries in the world, playing a pivotal role in international politics, economics, and culture. Despite the massive transformation that has taken place since 1949, Mao Zedong’s declaration of the People’s Republic of China remains a seminal moment in Chinese history, and the legacy of his speech continues to shape China today.