On January 8, 1946, Liu Handong (刘瀚东), the commander of the nationalist 107th Division arrived at city with over a hundred associates to discuss the city's transfer from the Red Army to the Chinese administration. The Red Army still occupied the city at the time. Subsequently, on January 10, the nationalists created the Liaobei (辽北) Province, with Liu Handong (刘瀚东) named the chairman of the province, and nationalist provincial governmental member Li Chongguo (李充国) named the mayor of city.