Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang [li ˨ ˩ ˦ xʊŋ ˧ ˥ ʈʂɑŋ ˥ ˥ ] (Chinese李鸿章/李鸿章, Pinyin lǐ Hóngzhāng, W.-G. Li Hung -chang, former German spelling Li Hung Chang; * February 15, 1823 in Qunzhi ( 群 治 村), † November 7, 1901 in Beijing) was a Chinese general who ended several major rebellions. As the " Viceroy of Zhili ", he was one of the most powerful statesmen in China during the late Qing period and oversaw numerous reforms to modernize the country.
Life
Li Hong Zhang spent his youth in Hefei ( his birthplace Qunzhi (群 治 村) is located 14 km northeast ). After graduating from the Han -lin college, he wanted to pursue a career as a scholar, was but then military commander.
Unlike many other politicians of his time Li Hongzhang was seeking contact with international politics. So he mobilized foreign military support, with the 1864 Taiping Rebellion was crushed. After this success, he was the most important foreign policy chief negotiator of China. In 1870, he received the governorship in the province of Zhili (now Hebei ), in the capital Beijing is, and thus was also one of the most powerful figures in the Chinese domestic politics. In 1895 he signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, was therefore made and released responsible for the defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War.
Nevertheless, he negotiated in 1898 as imperial representative to Lüda - lease agreement with the Russian government and traveled to the signing of the Additional Protocol to the Russian Empire. The supplementary agreement allowed among other things the connection of the leased Liaodong Peninsula with the military harbor of Port Arthur to the Trans- Siberian Railway. He received from the Russian Finance Minister Witte a bribe of three million gold rubles in return for the concession to travel through Manchuria with the so-called Chinese Eastern Railway, one before the completion of Amurstrecke ( Amur Railway ) very important section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. As this payment was known, suffered from Li Hongzhang solid reputation among them. In 1901 he was again entrusted with the negotiations to end the Boxer Rebellion, but died before its completion.
Visit to Prince Bismarck
As of June 13, 1896 Li Hongzhang was staying at a state visit to Germany. He also attended Prince Otto von Bismarck on his castle Friedrichsruh. Supposedly Kaiser Wilhelm was a little annoyed that Li Hongzhang Bismarck preferably him. Apparently, the two men came closer.
William II Li Hongzhang
In connection with the Boxer Rebellion is found in the following SPIEGEL view of the German Emperor Li Hong Zhang: Wilhelm II, but considered it an " outrageous affront ", with this " Erzhalunken and liars " to negotiate. He knew a better way to deal with Li. Wilhelm: " We have to try at all costs, and Li Hung- chang from Shanghai wegrührt to hijack him readily and us to assure itself as a valuable hostage. "