lē dzoong-jŭn, 1890–1969, Chinese Nationalist general and political leader. For 25 years (1925–49) he was a leader of the military clique that ruled Guangxi prov. The Guangxi army was an important element in the Northern Expedition (1926–28) of the Kuomintang party, but the Guangxi clique was not close to power in the Nanjing government formed by Chiang Kai-shek. Li led Nationalist forces in central China against the Japanese invaders (1937–45). In 1948 he was elected vice president after defeating Sun Fo, the personal choice of Chiang. Although serving as acting president following the resignation of Chiang in Jan., 1949, Li had little real power. Chiang retained the party leadership and controlled the Nationalist armies through trusted aides. When the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan in Dec., 1949, Li went instead to the United States. He returned to mainland China in 1965.

See his Memoirs (1978); E. F. Carlson, The Chinese Army (1940); E. Snow, The Battle for Asia (1941).

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