Published : 2024-10-21

On October 21, 1949, China's Administrative Council of the Central People’s Government (中央人民政府政務院) was officially established.

The Administrative Council is the predecessor of today's State Council. The People's Republic of China (PRC) held its founding ceremony on October 1, 1949, where leader Mao Zedong (毛澤東) read out the "Proclamation of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China", in which he announced the appointment of Zhou Enlai (周恩來) as the Premier of the Administrative Council of the Central People’s Government and concurrently Minister of Foreign Affairs.

However, at this time the Administrative Council had not yet been established. It was not until the 21st of the same month that Zhou Enlai presided over the first expanded political meeting of the Administrative Council, and the Administrative Council was officially established.

According to the law at the time, the Administrative Council was the supreme executive body for state affairs, carrying out state business and work under the leadership of the Central People's Government.

By 1954, China had entered a period of comprehensive construction. As national affairs moved onto a stable and regular path, the Administrative Council was renamed the State Council.