Tang Liangli (, also T'ang Leang-Li or Thung Liang Lee; 1901–1975) was a journalist and politician in the Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). He was an overseas Chinese who was born in Java, Indonesia, and whose family place of origin was Fujian. His Indonesian name was Tubagus Pranata Tirtawidjaya.
Biography
Journalist Tang Liangli spoke English better than Chinese. He studied at London University and Vienna University. In 1925 he acquired a B.Sc (Economics), from London University, and was recommended as a member of the Royal Economic Society.
In 1929, Tang was appointed chief of the Communications Office to Europe, Central Executive Committee, Kuomintang (). The next year, he returned to China and became Wang Jingwei's private secretary and a reporter for several foreign presses, including The New York Times, The Daily News (London), The Batavia Newspaper, and the news agency of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. He was also appointed president of Lianhua Shubao () and general editor of The People's Tribune: A Journal of Fact and Opinion about China and Other Countries (China United Press, 1931-1942).The People's tribune : a journal of fact and opinion about China and other countries, worldcat.org. Retrieved 28 July 2021.T'ang Leang-li, ed., People's Tribune, 1931 1-3, archive.org. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
In 1931, Zhou Enlai who managed the central leading authority of the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai, was pressured heavily by the Kuomintang. At that time, Tang hid Zhou from the Kuomintang authorities, and with the assistance of a Western friend, enabled Zhou's escape from Shanghai.According to Lawrence Kessler,"Reconstructing Zhou Enlai's Escape from Shanghai in 1931: A Research Note" and Zhai Yaliu which also referred to Kessler's Article.
In 1933, Tang was appointed as an adviser to the Foreign Ministry, National Government, with minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary status. After that he became a general editor of the "China Today" Series and the English Encyclopedia of Modern China. During that time, he wrote extensively in English, with many of his works becoming influential both inside and outside China. Among these are, The New Currency System in China (1937),Tatsuo Yamada, p.114. According to Liang Jie,"Friedman and the Issue of the Chinese Currency," in 1935. which was referred to by Milton Friedman.Liang, Ibid.
In the Wang Jingwei regime In March 1940, when the Wang Jingwei regime was established, Tang assumed formal office in the regime. In August of the same year, he was appointed director of the International Publicity Bureau (), remaining at this post until the collapse of the regime following Japan's surrender in 1945. From May to August 1941 he also held the post of Policy Affairs Vice-Minister for the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
After the Wang Jingwei regime had collapsed, Tang was arrested by Chiang Kai-shek's National Government; however, for unknown reasons, he was soon released. In 1949, he returned to Indonesia and lived in Jakarta. He participated in editing The Indonesian Review of International Affairs, and was interviewed by Japanese political scientist Tatsuo Yamada (who specialized in Chinese politics) on December 17, 1969.
Tang Liangli died in 1975. Suryadinata (etc ed.), pp.1133-1135.According to a common view, Tang died in 1970, but it was a mistake. Yamada (p.115), which was published in October 1972, also did not write about Tang's death.
Works China in Revolt (London, 1927. German ed. 1930) The Foundation of Modern China (London, 1928. Malay ed. Batavia, 1930) The Inner History of the Chinese Revolution (London & New York, 1930) Wang Ching-wei: A Political Biography (Tientsin, 1931) Suppressing Communist Banditry in China (China United Press (Shanghai), 1934, "China Today" series, 1) Reconstruction in China : A Record of Progress and Achievement in Facts and Figures (China United Press (Shanghai)(Shanghai), 1934, "China Today" series, 3) The Puppet State of Manchukuo (China United Press (Shanghai), 1935, "China Today" series, 4) The New Social Order in China (China United Press (Shanghai), 1936, "China Today" series, 6) China Facts and Fancies (China United Press (Shanghai), 1936, "China Today" series, 7) China's New Currency System (China United Press (Shanghai), 1936, "China Today" series, 8) The New Currency System in China (), 1937) Tomizou Nakayama (translator), The Organizations and Prospects of Chinese Society, A Guidepost for New China (), Ikuseisya (育生社), 1940. 《》, 國民外交討論會, 1941 American Imperialism in China (, 1943 (Chinese Version, 1944年) , published year was unknown. Tatsuo Yamada (translator), Wang Jingwei - A Peaceful Warrior in Eastern Asia , Vol.45, No.10, October, 1972.
Alma mater
University of London University of Vienna
References
Footnotes Liang Jie (), "Friedman and the Issue of the Chinese Currency" (), November 20, 2006 People's Daily Online () Tatsuo Yamada (山田辰雄), "Interview from T'ang Leang-Li" (), 『』Keio University, Vol.45, No.10, October, 1972 Lawrence Kessler,"Reconstructing Zhou Enlai's Escape from Shanghai in 1931: A Research Note," Twentieth-Century China, Volume 34, Number 2, 2008. Zhai Yaliu (), "A Foreigner who let Zhou Enlai escape from Shanghai in 1931," ()」 Bainianshu(), Number 9, 2010.
History of Prison in Shanghai () The Office of Shanghai’s History (上海地方志办公室) Website