The final stage of the Chinese Civil War (1948-1952), which began with the breakdown of peace talks between the communist and nationalist forces, resulted in the communist takeover of Peking, and the changing of its name to Beijing.
In October 1949, Mao Zedong, leader of the People’s Liberation Army, declared the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong’s population had shrunk to around 600,000 people following a harsh occupation by Japanese forces during World War II, but in 1949 it ballooned due to the influx of refugees fleeing the new government regime.
