<P> On 1 January 1912 , delegates from the independent provinces elected Sun Yat - sen as the first Provisional President of the Republic of China . Yuan Shikai agreed to accept the Republic and forced the last emperor of China , Puyi , to abdicate on February 12 . Empress Dowager Longyu signed the abdication papers . Puyi was allowed to continue living in the Forbidden City , however . The Republic of China officially succeeded the Qing Dynasty . </P>
who became president of the republic of china after the overthrow of the qing dynasty
Sun Yat - sen