On January 1, 1949, Ye Jianying, the director of the Peking Military Administrative Committee, issued the bulletin No 1 and announced the establishment of the committee. This picture shows Mao Zedong with Ye Jianying (1949), the Mayor of Peking and the director of the Peking Military Administrative Committee. [Photo/PLA Daily]

On January 31, 1949, Peking was liberated peacefully. The picture shows the students of various universities in Peking warmly welcoming the People's Liberation Army into the city.[Photo/Xinhua]