One of the founders of the Chinese Communist Party, he joined Sun Yat-sen in 1924. In 1927 he organized a Communist workers’ revolt in Shanghai in support of the Kuomintang forces surrounding the city. In the early 1930s he formed a partnership with Mao Zedong, supporting his rise to power within the Communist Party in 1935. On the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 Zhou became Premier and also served as Foreign Minister (1949–58). During the 1960s he continued to keep open communication channels with the USA, and he presided over the moves towards détente in 1972–73. He was also a moderating influence during the Cultural Revolution.