Representing the New China and the Sovietisation of Chinese sport (1949–1962)

The year 1949 was a milestone in modern Chinese history. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) defeated the Nationalist Party (KMT), ended the civil war and established the People’s Republic of China (PRC). After decades of chaos, wars and political unrest, and at the cost of millions of lives, the unification was finally achieved. ¹ The new regime forged a broadly defined Chinese nation that included various social classes and 56 ethnic groups. The population was 541.67 million and the territory covered 9,600,000 square kilometres. ²