Li Hongzhang

Li Hongzhang

 or Li Hung-chang

(born Feb. 15, 1823, Hefei, Anhui province, China—died Nov. 7, 1901, Beijing) Chinese statesman who represented China in the series of humiliating negotiations at the end of the Sino-French War (1883–85), Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), and Boxer Rebellion (1900). Much earlier in his career, Li had helped with the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion (1850–64) and had put down the Nian Rebellion (c. 1852–68). At that time, he came in contact with Westerners (notably England's Charles George Gordon) and Western weapons and became convinced that China needed Western-style firepower if it wanted to protect its sovereignty. In 1870, when Li was appointed governor-general of the capital province, Zhili, he was able to build arsenals, found a military academy, establish two modern naval bases, purchase warships, and undertake other “self-strengthening” measures. Through modernization he hoped to preserve traditional China, but within traditional China Li's innovations could not develop fully, and he was fatally hampered by the system he was trying to protect.