The Military Government of the province of Hubei which had been constituted on 11 Oct 1911 in Wuchang was recognized as the Central Military Government (Zhōngyāng jūn zhèngfǔ | 中央軍政府) and the Chief Supervisor of the Hubei Army (È jūn dūdū | 鄂軍都督), Lí Yuánhóng (黎元洪), was authorised to perform some executive functions by the resolutions of the United Assembly of Representatives of the Provincial Military Governments (Gèshěng dūdūfǔ dàibiǎo liánhé huì | 各省都督府代表聯合會) on 20 Nov 1911 (session held in Shanghai) and 30 Nov 1911 (session held in Wuchang).

The Organizational Outline of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China (Zhōnghuá mínguó línshí zhèngfǔ zǔzhī dàgāng | 中華民國臨時政府組織大綱), adopted on 3 Dec 1911, provided for the election of a Provisional President (Línshí dàzǒngtǒng | 臨時大總統). Pending such an election, the office of Chief Supervisor of the Hubei Army was again recognized (4 Dec 1911) as the Central Military Government with authority to represent the provincial military governments.

The United Assembly, reconvened in the national capital, Nanjing, and amended the Organizational Outline of the Provisional Government (15 Dec 1911), establishing the office of the Grand Marshal who was authorized to exercise the functions of the Provisional President of the Republic, pending the election. On 17 Dec 1911 the United Assembly elected Lí Yuánhóng as the Grand Marshal and Huáng Xīng as the Vice Marshal. Lí Yuánhóng accepted the election in a message sent to the Assembly on 20 Dec 1911 (submitted to the session on 23 Dec 1911), and, remaining in Wuchang, nominated Vice Marshal Huáng Xīng to serve as his representative in Nanjing. Huáng Xīng arrived to Nanjing and assumed office on 27 Dec 1911.