Wellington Koo

Wellington Koo
顧維鈞
Koo in 1945
President of the Republic of China
Acting
1 October 1926 – 17 June 1927
PremierHimself
Preceded byDu Xigui (acting)
Succeeded byZhang Zuolin (as Generalissimo of the Military Government)
Premier of the Republic of China
In office
11 January 1927 – 16 June 1927
PresidentHimself
Preceded byHimself (acting)
Succeeded byPan Fu
Acting
1 October 1926 – 11 January 1927
PresidentHimself (acting)
Preceded byDu Xigui (acting)
Succeeded byHimself (as Premier)
Acting
2 July 1924 – 14 September 1924
PresidentCao Kun
Preceded bySun Baoqi
Succeeded byYan Huiqing
Chinese Ambassador to the United States
In office
27 June 1946 – 21 March 1956
Preceded byWei Tao-ming
Succeeded byHollington Tong
In office
25 October 1915 – 29 September 1920
Preceded byKai Fu Shah [zh]
Succeeded byAlfred Sao-ke Sze
Personal details
Born29 January 1888
Shanghai, Qing China
Died14 November 1985 (aged 97)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyKuomintang (1942–1985)
Spouse(s)
Chang Jun-o
(m. 1908; div. 1912)

Tang Pao-yueh "May"
(m. 1912; died 1918)

(m. 1920; div. 1959)

(m. 1959)
Children4
EducationColumbia University (BA, MA, PhD)
OccupationDiplomat, politician
AwardsOrder of the Precious Brilliant Golden Grain
Order of Rank and Merit
Wellington Koo
Traditional Chinese顧維鈞
Simplified Chinese顾维钧
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGù Wéijūn
Gwoyeu RomatzyhGuh Weijiun
Wade–GilesKu Wei-chün
Wu
RomanizationKu Vi-ciuin

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 and statesman. He was one of China's representatives at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919.

Wellington Koo served as an ambassador to France, Great Britain and the United States; was a participant in the founding of the League of Nations and the United Nations; and sat as a judge on the International Court of Justice in The Hague from 1957 to 1967. Between October 1926 and June 1927, while serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Koo briefly held the concurrent positions of acting premier and interim president of the Republic of China.[1] Koo was the first Chinese head of state known to use a Western name publicly.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).