Who was the first President of the People's Republic of China?

The story behind the answer

Mao Zedong is correct because he served as the first head of state of the People’s Republic of China. After proclaiming the PRC on October 1, 1949, Mao became Chairman of the Central People’s Government. When the 1954 Constitution created the office of State Chairman (often translated as “President”), Mao was the first to hold it (1954–1959).

A helpful way to remember this: Mao is the PRC’s founding figure—he