Lesson 1: Establishment of the People's Republic of China

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference

In September 1949, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was held in Beiping. More than 600 delegates from the Chinese Communist Party, democratic parties, non-party members, the People's Liberation Army, people's organizations, various regions and nationalities, and overseas Chinese attended the meeting to discuss the establishment of a new China.

The conference decided to establish the People's Republic of China and adopted the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which stipulates that the People's Republic of China is a new democratic state, that is, a people's democratic state, which is led by the working class, based on the workers' and peasants' alliance and unites all democratic classes and all nationalities in the country; that state power belongs to the people, and that all organs of power at all levels exercise democratic centralism. Democratic centralism is practiced by all organs of power at all levels. The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference temporarily assumed the functions of the future National People's Congress, and the Common Program served as a provisional constitution.

Mao Zedong was elected Chairman of the Central People's Government, and Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Song Qingling, Li Jishen, Zhang Lan and Gao Gang were elected Vice-Chairmen. The conference decided to change the name of Beiping to Beijing as the capital of the new China; to adopt the five-star red flag as the national flag; to adopt the "March of the Volunteer Army" as the national anthem; and to adopt the calendar year. The Conference also decided to build the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square in Beijing as a token of respect and remembrance for the martyrs of the revolution.

The successful convening of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference initially established the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

Founding Ceremony

At 3 p.m. on October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong and other national leaders ascended the Tiananmen Square, and 300,000 soldiers and civilians gathered in the capital to hold a grand opening ceremony. Mao Zedong solemnly proclaimed to the world, "The Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China is established today!" He pressed the electric button and the five-star red flag, the national flag of the People's Republic of China, was hoisted. The band played the "March of the Volunteer Army" and 54 cannons fired 28 salutes. A storm of cheers rang out in the square, celebrating the birth of the new China. Mao Zedong read out the proclamation of the Central People's Government, declaring this government as the sole legitimate government representing the people of the People's Republic of China.

Then the grand military parade began. Zhu De was the parade commander and Nie Rongzhen was the parade commander-in-chief. The People's Navy and Army units passed the podium in a neat pace from east to west to the music of the "March of the Chinese People's Liberation Army"; the aircraft of the People's Air Force flew in formation over Tiananmen Square to accept the parade.

After the 3-hour parade, a grand mass procession was held. Tiananmen Square became a sea of joy, and the celebration continued until 9:30 pm.

The founding of the People's Republic of China opened up a new era in Chinese history. After more than 100 years of heroic struggle, the Chinese people finally overthrew imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism. China became a truly independent country, and the Chinese people, who account for one-fourth of all human beings, have since stood up. The founding of New China has strengthened the forces of peace and democracy and socialism in the world.（620words）