Background
Ching-wei Wang was a native of Chekiang. He was born in Canton, Guangdong, China in 1895.
也銘字精衛
revolutionary leader of Kuomintang
Ching-wei Wang was a native of Chekiang. He was born in Canton, Guangdong, China in 1895.
He received his Chinese classical education at Canton specializing in Chinese history, from which he imbided the idea of racial independence. C.W. Wang went to Japan at the age of 19, and there studied political science and sociology in Tokyo Law College, from which he graduated.
While in Japan, he joined the Tung Meng Hui in Tokyo and was elected Chairman of its Executive Council. At the same time, he was editor of the Min Poo, Tung Meng Hui's organ, advocating "A Republic for China". He also participated in the uprisings of the revolutionary forces in Kwangtung, China and Kwangsi, China.
Ching wei Wang travelled to the South Sea Islands, soliciting funds for the cause of Revolution attempted to assassinate the Prince Regent, father of "Emperor" Hsuan Tung, but failed and was arrested was condemned to imprisonment for life, but was released following the outbreak of the Revolution in 1911. After establishment of the Republic, he was offered the post of Tutuh (Military Governor) of Kwangtung by Dr. Sun Yat-sen and later appointed Minister of Justice by Yuan Shih-kai, but he declined both. Then he went to France for further study, but soon returned to China to give his support to Dr. Sun Yat-sen in view of frequent political disturbances in the country.
In 1924 Mr. Wang became elected member of the Central Executive Committee of Kuomintang during its first National Congress. After that he accompanied Dr. Sun Yat-sen to the North in November 1924, and served as his chief secretary. Then Ching wei Wang was appointed to draft the will at the bedside of Dr. Sun who died on March 12, 1925.
He returned to Canton on May 25 1926, and was elected Chairman of the National Government upon its establishment at Canton on July 1, 1925. Also he was Chairman of the Military Affairs Commission, and a Chairman of the Political Council of the Central Executive Committee of Kuomintang, to which post he was elected for another term at the second National Congress on Jan. 1, 1926, but which he resigned on March 20 of the same year as a result of disagreement with General Chiang Kai-shek.
Mr. Wang toured France on sick leave as his resignation was rejected by the Central Executive Committee. Then he returned to China on April 2, 1927 while in Shanghai was again in disagreement with Gen. Chiang Kai-sbek and then proceeded to Wuhan. When Gen. Chiang resigned in August of the same year, the Nanking and Wuhan groups decided to co-operate in forming a new Government at Nanking which he joined but soon also resigned and left for France again.
Then he returned to China in September, 1929, when the country was full of political disturbances as a result of the Third Rational Congress of Kuomintang held in March, 1929, and participated in the movements against a dictatorship at Nanking organized respectively by General Yen Hsi-shan at Peiping in 1930 and by General Chen Chi-tang at Canton in 1931.
Ching wei Wang was elected chief delegate to the Shanghai Peace Conference to negotiate with Nanking on terms for cooperation when as a result of the September 18th Incident Nanking and the oppositionist groups realized the necessity of internal peace and national unification to cope with the national crisis. He was again elected member of the Standing Committee of Central Executive Committee of the Kuominfang by the Fourth National Congress of Kuomintang, and member of the Presidium of the Central Political Council. He was made President of the Executive Yuan on January 28, 1932, with General Chiang Kai-shek serving as Chairman of the Military Affairs Commission, in this way fulfilling their promise of mutual cooperation to face the national crisisand concurrently Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was wounded by would-be assassin on Nov. 1, 1935 and resigned all posts in Party and Government in December 1935. Then Ching wei Wang became elected Chairman of Central Political Council at 1st Plenary Session of the 5th C.E.C., but declined acceptance of the post.