Wellington Koo

Uncommon card · No. 192741

Koo Vi Kyuin (Chinese: 顧維鈞; pinyin: Gù Wéijūn; Wade–Giles: Ku Wei-chün; January 29, 1888 – November 14, 1985), better known as V. K. Wellington Koo, was a Chinese diplomat. Born in Shanghai, Koo studied in the United States, where he earned three degrees, including his doctorate in international law and diplomacy, from Columbia University. On his return to China in 1912, he became Yuan Shikai's secretary for foreign affairs, and in 1919, was a member of China's delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, where he unsuccessfully demanded the return of Shandong. He served as the Chinese ambassador to Great Britain the next year. Between 1922 and 1927, Koo successively served the Beiyang government as minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance, acting premier, and president. After the Northern Expedition toppled the government in 1928, Koo joined the Nationalist government and continued his diplomatic career. In 1931, he represented China at the League of Nations to protest the Japanese...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain