Hu Weide () (1863 – 24 November 1933) was a Chinese politician and diplomat during the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

and the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeas ...

Biography

Though related by marriage to the Qing dynasty, he accepted the creation of the Republic and served in its foreign ministry, having previously been the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

as a member of

Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai (; 16 September 1859 – 6 June 1916) was a Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty and eventually ended the Qing dynasty rule of China in 1912, later becoming the Emperor of China. H ...

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

. He served as ambassador to

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

, and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

; and was a rival of Wu Tingfang. He was also a judge of the

Permanent Court of International Justice The Permanent Court of International Justice, often called the World Court, existed from 1922 to 1946. It was an international court attached to the League of Nations. Created in 1920 (although the idea of an international court was several cent ...

. After Duan Qirui was ousted from

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

in 1926, Hu served briefly as acting president and

premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

. Hu Weide's political career is unique in that his career did not end with the passage of power from one form of government to another. He was a prominent politician and diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty as well as the early

. His role in the Chinese diplomacy history is immense, although he is also considered by many as being responsible for the feeble diplomacy practiced by China. Hu was truly one of the first Chinese politicians with a strong grasp of global affairs. He graduated from the Shanghai Interpreters' College. His proficiency in English, French and Russian allowed him to pursue the study of these countries, which made him a specialist in these nations. Hu Weide's stature in the Chinese and international diplomatic sphere can be gauged from the fact that he was a member of the Chinese delegation at the

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1 ...

and at The Hague Peace Conference. Although he did not receive praise for his work to bring democracy in China, he played a vital role in persuading the late Qing Government to relinquish power in favor of the new Republic. Hu Weide

References

, - , - 1863 births 1933 deaths Presidents of the Republic of China Premiers of the Republic of China Ambassadors of the Republic of China Permanent Court of International Justice judges Politicians from Huzhou Republic of China politicians from Zhejiang 20th-century Chinese heads of government Ambassadors of China to France Chinese judges of international courts and tribunals {{China-politician-stub