Liu Yung-fu

Liu Yung-fu (Chinese: 劉永福; pinyin: Liú Yǒngfú; Vietnamese: Lưu Vĩnh Phúc) (1837 - 1917) was the second and last President of the Republic of Formosa from June 5 1895 to October 21 1895.

Early years

Born in extreme poverty in southern Guangxi province of Zhuang ethnicity, Liu fought in the Taiping Rebellion of 1842-1865. Following the defeat of the rebellion, Liu led a splinter remnant, the Black Flag Army, into the hills of Guangxi and later into northern Tonkin (in Vietnam). The Black Flags suppressed the Tai and Hmong living in the region, who were opposed to Vietnamese rule. In return, the Vietnamese emperor bestowed official rank upon Liu and took no actions against his band's harassment of French merchants plying the Red River. Liu's attacks on the merchants led to French military action against Hanoi in 1883, during which the Black Flags killed the commander of the expeditionary force, Henri Rivière. This ultimately resulted in the Sino-French War, during which Liu Yung-fu played an important role. He commanded the Black Flag Army as they besieged a French position at the city of Tuyen Quang.

President of the Republic of Formosa

With the creation of the short-lived Republic of Formosa on May 25 1895, Liu Yung-fu was made a brigadier general and given command of southern Taiwan. President Tang Ching-sung fled to Mainland China just ten days after declaring independence, and Liu replaced him as president. However, within months the Japanese occupied Taiwan and annexed the island.