Tang Shaoyi (2 January 1862-30 September 1938) was Premier of the Republic of China from 13 March to 27 June 1912, preceding Lou Tseng-Tsiang, and again from 5 August to 19 September 1922, interrupting Wang Ch'ung-hui's two terms.
Biography[]
Tang Shaoyi was born in Xiangshan, Guangdong, China in 1862, and he went to school in the United States, attending elementary school in Massachusetts and high school in Connecticut before graduating from Columbia University in New York City. During the Xinhai Revolution, Tang negotiated the revolutionaries' recognition of Yuan Shikai as president fo the Republic of China, and he served as Premier from March to June 1912 before resigning in opposition to Yuan's abuse of power. In 1922, he served as Premier once more, only to resign in protest after Sun Yat-sen took the "Extraordinary Presidency". Tang would retire to Shanghai, and Imperial Japanese Army general Kenji Doihara convinced Tang to collaborate with Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Tang was assassinated in his living room by Kuomintang assassins posing as antique sellers, ending his treason.