Kung Hsiang hsi

H. H. Kung was a Chinese banker and politician who served as the premier of the Republic of China three times, in 1928, 1930, and 1945. He was the eldest son of Charlie Soong, a wealthy businessman and Christian missionary, and the brother of the Soong sisters, who married prominent figures in the Chinese nationalist movement. He graduated from Oberlin College, Yale University, and Columbia University, and was called to the bar by the Middle Temple in London. He worked as a banker and an industrialist, and was involved in the founding of the Bank of China and the China Development Finance Corporation. He was also a close associate of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China, and Yuan Shikai, the first president of the republic. He held various positions in the Nationalist Government, such as the minister of finance, the governor of the Central Bank of China, and the foreign minister. He was elected as the premier by the National Assembly in 1928, 1930, and 1945, but resigned each time due to political conflicts or personal reasons. He was known for his economic reforms, his diplomatic skills, and his moderate views. He was involved in several important negotiations, such as the Washington Naval Conference, the Sino-German Cooperation, and the Boxer Protocol. He also played a key role in securing foreign aid and loans for China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. He left China in 1949 after the Communist victory, and lived in the United States until his death in 1967. He was regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in modern Chinese history.