A descendant of Li Hongzhang, Li graduated from the University of Shanghai in 1952, and entered the foreign ministry of PRC.
Li was impressed with the necessity of strengthening the empire, and while Viceroy of Zhili he raised a large well-drilled and well-armed force, and spent vast sums both in fortifying Port Arthur and the Taku forts and in increasing the navy.
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He was appointed to the viceroyalty of the metropolitan province of Zhili, and justified his appointment by the energy with which he suppressed all attempts to keep alive the anti-foreign sentiment among the people.
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He quelled several major rebellions and served in important positions of the Imperial Court, including the premier viceroyalty of Zhili.
He declined to request an interview with the Guangxu Emperor, a child of seven, but did speak with the head of government, Prince Gong, and Li Hongzhang, a leading general.
China agreed at first, but after objections from Viceroy Li Hongzhang, the agreement was not made.
As part of his drive to create a modern navy following the Sino-French War, Viceroy Li Hongzhang turned to shipbuilders in Europe, notably in Great Britain and Germany for the latest technology.
In September 1881, when two cruisers Chaoyong and Yangwei ordered from Birkenhead, England were sent to China, Li Hongzhang realized a triangular ensign was unique among naval flags of other countries.
The crisis was only resolved in 1876 when Thomas Wade and Li Hongzhang signed the Chefoo Convention, which covered a number of items unrelated to the incident.
Chinese Viceroy Li Hongzhang protested the annexation of the former kingdom, and attempted to reopen the question of Ryūkyū's sovereignty, by entering into discussions with former US president Ulysses S. Grant and officials in Tokyo, but without success.
By order of Li Hongzhang, he landed with a detachment of 800 soldiers in Asan, Korea on 9 June 1894, where he constructed fortifications and made forays to suppress the activities of the Donghak rebels in the surrounding provinces.