Xu Shiying

Xu Shiying was a Chinese jurist and diplomat who served the Republic of China from its foundation in 1912 until his death in 1964. He was a close associate of the republic's founding father, Sun Yat-sen, an active member of the Kuomintang ("Chinese Nationalist Party"), and a judge on the Permanent Court of International Justice in the Hague. He graduated from Peiyang University, University of California, Berkeley, and Yale Law School, and was called to the bar by the Middle Temple in London. He was also fluent in German and French, and translated the German Civil Code into English. He returned to China in 1911 and became the first minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of China. He held various positions in the government of Yuan Shikai, such as the minister of finance and the minister of internal affairs. He was elected as the premier by President Xu Shichang in 1919, but resigned shortly after due to the political turmoil caused by the warlord Zhang Xun's attempt to restore the Qing dynasty. He was appointed as the premier again by President Xu Shichang in 1920, but faced many challenges, such as the May Fourth Movement, the Warlord Era, and the rise of the Kuomintang. He tried to reform the financial system and improve the foreign relations of China, but his efforts were hampered by the lack of central authority and the interference of the warlords. He resigned in 1920 and lived in retirement until his death in 1964. He was also a leader of the Anfu Club, a political faction that opposed the Zhili and Fengtian Cliques. He led the Chinese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, where he refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles that transferred the German concessions in Shandong to Japan. He was known for his loyalty and his moderate views. He was regarded as one of the greatest jurists and diplomats of China.