On 1 January 1912, Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the Tongmenghui, was inaugurated as the first provisional President of the newly proclaimed Republic of China following the conclusion of the Xinhai Revolution.

[2] On 13 March, Tang Shaoyi, the first Premier of the Republic of China, began the formation of a new cabinet at Peking (presently Beijing).

I hereby resign today (as President)......all cabinet ministers will remain and continue their duties until all new replacements are appointed."

This system was abolished following Yuan Shikai's ascension to power whereby a parliamentary government was introduced in the form of the National Assembly led by a Premier.

[1] Prior to the formation of the Provisional Government in 1912, the revolutionaries had notified provincial representatives to form local general staffs to unify the military situation during the revolutions in 1911.