On October 1st 1949, naming himself head of state, communist revolutionary Mao Zedong officially proclaimed the existence of the People's Republic of China; Zhou Enlai was named premier. The proclamation was the climax of years of battle between Mao's communist forces and the regime of Nationalist Chinese leader Chiang Kai-Shek, who had been supported with … Continue reading October 1 1949 Mao Zedong proclaims People’s Republic of China