Proclamation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China

#PUBLICATION NOTE

This edition of Proclamation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China has been prepared and revised for digital publication by the Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism under the Central Committee of the Communist Party in Switzerland on the basis of the following edition: Proclamation of the Central People's Government of the PRC, in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Third English Edition, Vol. 7, Foreign Languages Press, Paris, 2020.

#INTRODUCTION NOTE

This is a the proclamation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China read aloud by Comrade Mao Zedong at the Square of Heavenly Peace in Beijing, China on the 1st of October, 1949. It was first published in the Renmin Ribao (2nd of October, 1949).


#Workers and oppressed people of the world, unite!

#PROCLAMATION OF THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

#Mao Zedong
#1st of October, 1949

#

The people throughout China have been plunged into bitter suffering and tribulations since Jiang Jieshi's reactionary Nationalist government betrayed the homeland, colluded with the imperialists, and launched the counter-revolutionary civil war. Fortunately, our People's Liberation Army, backed by the whole nation, has been fighting heroically and selflessly to defend the territorial sovereignty of our homeland, to protect the people's lives and property, to relieve the people of their sufferings, and to fight for their rights, and it eventually wiped out the reactionary troops and overthrow the reactionary rule of the Nationalist government. Now, the People's War of Liberation has won fundamental victory, and the majority of the people in our country have been liberated. On this foundation, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [CPPCC], composed of deputies of all the democratic political parties and people's organizations of China, the People's Liberation Army, the various regions and nationalities of the country, and the overseas Chinese and other patriotic elements, has been convened. Representing the will of the whole nation, it has enacted the Organic Law of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China; elected Mao Zedong Chairperson of the Central People's Government; elected Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Song Qingling, Li Jishen, Zhang Lan, and Gao Gang Deputy Chairpersons of the Central People's Government; elected Chen Yi, He Long, Li Lisan, Lin Boqu, Ye Jianying, He Xiangning, Lin Biao, Peng Dehuai, Liu Bocheng, Wu Yuzhang, Xu Qiangqian, Peng Zhen, Bo Yibo, Nie Rongzhen, Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, Seypidin Azizi, Rao Shushi, Chen Jiageng, Luo Ronghuan, Deng Zihui, Ulaanfuu, Xu Deli, Cai Chang, Liu Geping, Ma Yinchu, Chen Yun, Kang Sheng, Lin Feng, Ma Xulun, Guo Moruo, Zhang Yunyi, Deng Xiaoping, Gao Chongmin, Shen Junru, Shen Yanbing, Chen Shutong, Situ Meitang, Li Xiujiu, Huang Yanpei, Cai Tingkai, Xi Zhongxun, Peng Zemin, Zhang Zhizhong, Fu Zuoyi, Li Zhuchen, Li Zhangda, Zhang Nanxian, Liu Yazi, Zhang Dongsun, and Long Yun members of the Central People's Government Council; proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China; and decided on Beijing as the capital of the People's Republic of China. The Central People's Government Council of the People's Republic of China took office today in the capital and unanimously made the following decisions:

  • To proclaim the establishment of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
  • To adopt the Common Programme of the CPPCC as the policy of the government.
  • To elect Lin Boqu from among the council members General Secretary of the Central People's Government Council.
  • To appoint Zhou Enlai Premier of the Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government and concurrently Minister of Foreign Affairs.
  • To appoint Mao Zedong Chairperson of the People's Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People's Government.
  • To appoint Zhu De Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army.
  • To appoint Shen Junru President of the Supreme People's Court of the Central People's Government.
  • To appoint Luo Ronghuan General Procurator of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the Central People's Government.
  • To charge them with the task of the speedy formation of the various government bodies to carry out the work of the government.

At the same time, the Central People's Government Council decided to declare to the governments of all other countries that this government is the sole legal government representing all the people of the People's Republic of China. This government is willing to establish diplomatic relations with any foreign government that is willing to observe the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and mutual respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

#Mao Zedong, Chairperson of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China