T. V. Soong
Encyclopedia
Soong Tse-ven or Soong Tzu-wen , was a prominent businessman and politician in the early 20th century Republic of China
. His father was Charlie Soong
and his siblings were the Soong sisters
. His Christian name was Paul, but he is generally known in English as T. V. Soong. As brother to the three Soong sisters
, Soong's brothers-in-law were Dr. Sun Yat-sen
, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek
, and financier H. H. Kung
.
, T. V. Soong received his education at Harvard University
, received his Ph.D.
from Columbia University
and returned to China
to engage in private business
. In the Kuomintang
-controlled government he served as governor of the Central Bank of China
and minister of finance (1928–1931, 1932–1933) (During his position as Finance Minister, he achieved the balancing of the budget. He resigned in 1933, (Soong was displeased by Chiang Kai-shek's appeasement to Japan and attempts to placate Japanese aggression); minister of foreign affairs (1942–1945); and president of the Executive Yuan (1945–1947). Soong left his legacy as head of the Chinese delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organization
in San Francisco, April 1945, which later became the United Nations
.
Soong was in charge of negotiating with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin
regarding Soviet interests in China, travelling to Moscow
and trying to extract from Stalin a guarantee to oppose the Chinese Communist Party. Soong conceded to Stalin the Manchurian railways and Korean independence, but refused to allow Russian interference in Xinjiang or Manchurian military bases for Russians, and he also indicated that China and the Soviet Union could share a co-dominion over Mongolia, if the "mutual assistance pact" included China. Soong "talked tough" against Stalin, getting straight to the point and using the threat of American military backing against Stalin to make demands. When the Sino-Soviet treaty was signed, China conceded Outer Mongolia, a naval base Port Arthur (civilian rule by Chinese) and co-ownership of the railways in Manchuria. Soong extracted from Stalin the recognition of the Republic of China as the legitimate regime of China, aid from the Soviets, and an oral agreement for Soviets to withdraw from Manchuria. Soong's treaty with Stalin failed to end tension in China with the communists, resulting in renewed fighting in the Chinese Civil War
. Stalin had previously told the Americans that President Roosevelt should inform Chiang Kai-shek of the Russian demands in Manchuria, at the Yalta Conference
, before Stalin informed Soong.
During the war years, he financed the "Flying Tigers
"—the American Voluntary Group that later was incorporated into the United States Air Force
. Gen. Claire Chennault
was listed as an employee of Bank of China
. On this project he worked very closely with his sister, Madame Chiang Kai-shek
(May-ling Soong
). He once remarked to John Paton Davies, Jr., one of the China Hands
, that there were no State Department
memos sent from China that he did not have access to within a few days.
With the defeat of the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War
, he moved to New York
and lived there until his death at the age of 77. He remained an influential member of the China Lobby
. Soong had a stroke and died in San Francisco while on business in April 1971.
Soong was married to Lo-Yi Chang (張樂怡 Zhang Leyi).
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. His father was Charlie Soong
Charlie Soong
Charles Jones Soong , courtesy name Yaoru was a Chinese businessman who first achieved prominence as a missionary in Shanghai. He was a close friend of Sun Yat-Sen and a key player in the events that led to the Xinhai Revolution in 1911...
and his siblings were the Soong sisters
Soong sisters
The Soong Sisters were three Hakka Chinese women who were, along with their husbands, amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century...
. His Christian name was Paul, but he is generally known in English as T. V. Soong. As brother to the three Soong sisters
Soong sisters
The Soong Sisters were three Hakka Chinese women who were, along with their husbands, amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century...
, Soong's brothers-in-law were Dr. Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
, and financier H. H. Kung
H. H. Kung
K'ung Hsiang-hsi , often known as Dr. H. H. Kung, was a wealthy Chinese banker and politician in the early 20th century. He was highly influential in determining the economic policies of the KMT government in the 1930s and 1940s...
.
Biography
Born in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, T. V. Soong received his education at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, received his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and returned to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to engage in private business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
. In the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
-controlled government he served as governor of the Central Bank of China
Central Bank of China
The Central Bank of the Republic of China , known in English from 1924 to 2007 as the Central Bank of China, is the central bank of the Republic of China . Its legal and common name in Chinese is literally translated as the "Central Bank"...
and minister of finance (1928–1931, 1932–1933) (During his position as Finance Minister, he achieved the balancing of the budget. He resigned in 1933, (Soong was displeased by Chiang Kai-shek's appeasement to Japan and attempts to placate Japanese aggression); minister of foreign affairs (1942–1945); and president of the Executive Yuan (1945–1947). Soong left his legacy as head of the Chinese delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organization
United Nations Conference on International Organization
The United Nations Conference on International Organization was a convention of delegates from 50 Allied nations that took place from 25 April 1945 to 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, California. At this convention, the delegates reviewed and rewrote the Dumbarton Oaks agreements...
in San Francisco, April 1945, which later became the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Soong was in charge of negotiating with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
regarding Soviet interests in China, travelling to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and trying to extract from Stalin a guarantee to oppose the Chinese Communist Party. Soong conceded to Stalin the Manchurian railways and Korean independence, but refused to allow Russian interference in Xinjiang or Manchurian military bases for Russians, and he also indicated that China and the Soviet Union could share a co-dominion over Mongolia, if the "mutual assistance pact" included China. Soong "talked tough" against Stalin, getting straight to the point and using the threat of American military backing against Stalin to make demands. When the Sino-Soviet treaty was signed, China conceded Outer Mongolia, a naval base Port Arthur (civilian rule by Chinese) and co-ownership of the railways in Manchuria. Soong extracted from Stalin the recognition of the Republic of China as the legitimate regime of China, aid from the Soviets, and an oral agreement for Soviets to withdraw from Manchuria. Soong's treaty with Stalin failed to end tension in China with the communists, resulting in renewed fighting in the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
. Stalin had previously told the Americans that President Roosevelt should inform Chiang Kai-shek of the Russian demands in Manchuria, at the Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference, sometimes called the Crimea Conference and codenamed the Argonaut Conference, held February 4–11, 1945, was the wartime meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, represented by President Franklin D...
, before Stalin informed Soong.
During the war years, he financed the "Flying Tigers
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
"—the American Voluntary Group that later was incorporated into the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Gen. Claire Chennault
Claire Lee Chennault
Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault , was an American military aviator. A contentious officer, he was a fierce advocate of "pursuit" or fight-interceptor aircraft during the 1930s when the U.S. Army Air Corps was focused primarily on high-altitude bombardment...
was listed as an employee of Bank of China
Bank of China
Bank of China Limited is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China...
. On this project he worked very closely with his sister, Madame Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
(May-ling Soong
Soong May-ling
Soong May-ling or Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek or Madame Chiang was a First Lady of the Republic of China , the wife of Generalissimo and President Chiang Kai-shek. She was a politician and painter...
). He once remarked to John Paton Davies, Jr., one of the China Hands
China Hands
The term China Hand originally referred to 19th-century merchants in the treaty ports of China, but evolved to reflect anyone with expert knowledge of the language, culture, and people of China...
, that there were no State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
memos sent from China that he did not have access to within a few days.
With the defeat of the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
, he moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and lived there until his death at the age of 77. He remained an influential member of the China Lobby
China Lobby
In United States politics, the China lobby refers to any special interest group acting on behalf of the governments of either the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China to influence Sino-American relations. During most of the twentieth century, the term "China lobby" was usually used...
. Soong had a stroke and died in San Francisco while on business in April 1971.
Soong was married to Lo-Yi Chang (張樂怡 Zhang Leyi).