Li Kenong

Li Kenong
Li Kenong
	People's Republic of China
Years of service	1926–1962
Rank	General
Commands held	Director of Central Investigation Department (CID)
Battles/wars	Northern Expedition (1926–1928); Chinese Civil War (1946–1950); Korean War (1950–1953)
Awards	Order of Liberation; Order of Independence and Freedom ; Order of the Army

Li Kenong (

General

in 1955.

Early life

Born in Chaohu, Anhui in 1899 during the Qing dynasty, Li was also known as Li Zetian and Li Leizhong. He became the deputy editor of the Anqing Guomin Shibao (National People's Daily) in 1926, entering the CCP in 1927. In this same period Li became a local propaganda leader for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the same locality, and performed local coordination for the Northern Expedition. After the CCP's break with the KMT in April 1927, Li travelled to Shanghai in 1928 to do newspaper work for the communists on the Tieshenche Bao and the Laobaixing Bao newspapers.^[2]

Secret agent under Zhou Enlai

Li was an early agent of Zhou Enlai, via the Communist intelligence agency, "Teke". Along with fellow agents Qian Zhuangfei and Hu Di, Zhou often referred to Li as one of "the three most distinguished intelligence workers of the Party". Under Zhou's direction Li joined the KMT secret police as a mole by the end of 1929. Li was soon placed in charge of investigating Communist activities, and was provided with carefully selected information about the activities of parties hostile to the KMT. The information provided to Li was carefully controlled by Zhou Enlai. Li also reported to Zhou on the plans of Chiang Kai-shek.^[3]

Beginning in 1929, under the direct order of Zhou Enlai, Li Kenong used a fake name, Li Zetian, when working inside the KMT in Shanghai. Li's work inside the KMT specialized in radio communications and cryptography. Li excelled in his work and was promoted to the section head at Shanghai. Throughout his career as a Communist mole Li took pains to pass all information of interest to the Communists.^[2]

In late April 1931, Gu Shunzhang, Zhou's chief aide in security affairs, was arrested in Wuhan. After his capture, Gu was subjected to heavy torture. Gu had strong connections with the Shanghai mafia and had shallow communist convictions. In order to save himself, Gu informed the KMT about covert CCP organizations in Wuhan, leading police to arrest and execution of over ten leading Communist leaders in the city. Gu then informed his captors that he would only inform the KMT about CCP activities in Shanghai if he could give the information directly to Chiang Kai-shek. The two-day transfer of Gu to Shanghai gave CCP intelligence two days to rescue most of their agents.^[4]

On April 25, 1931, Qian Zhuangfei, another one of Zhou's agents planted in the Nationalist intelligence agency headquartered at Nanjing, who was directly under Li's control, saw the message from Wuhan announcing Gu's capture. Qian held the message from distribution while he sent his son-in-law from Nanjing to notify Li in Shanghai. Li immediately attempted to inform CCP leaders of Gu's capture, but was not able to contact the officer in charge of CCP intelligence, Chen Geng. Li decided to break protocol instructing agents not to contact their liaisons outside of established times. Li went to look for Chen in numerous places and eventually found him, reporting the capture of Gu.

Li and Chen informed

Jiangxi

.

Li was later appointed the head of the CCP's Jiangxi Protection Branch (Zhengzhi Baowei Fenju), executive director (Zhixing Buzhang) of Political Protection for the Chinese Soviet, and Chief of the

International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party. In 1936, after the Xi'an Incident, he was appointed as Secretary in charge of the CCP delegation based there. During the Xi'an Incident, Li served for the first time as a principal negotiator, roles that he would repeat later on in Panmunjom (1952–3) and Geneva (1954).^[2]

Second Sino-Japanese War

Upon the outbreak of the

Central Department of Social Affairs, under Kang Sheng. In 1942 he became the deputy director of the CCP Central Intelligence Department, the staff and leadership of which partially overlapped with those of the SAD. One of the primary tasks of Li and his fellow intelligence officers was to do business with local warlords, so that the supplies needed in Communist rear areas, especially medicine, could be obtained.^[2]

Chinese Civil War

In 1945, Li was placed in charge of the

Military Commission Intelligence Department and deputy director of the SAD, under Kang Sheng

. In 1947 Li became a member of the Central Committee's Rear Area Commission.

During the Chinese Civil War, Li Kenong continued to personally take charge of decoding intelligence. Agents under Li's direction achieved great success with planting moles inside the numerous KMT forces and agencies. Because of Li's work, KMT messages were deciphered and read by Communist commanders, sometimes before being sent to KMT army commanders on the battlefield.^[2]

On August 9, 1949, the

Foreign Minister, and Director of the General Intelligence Department.^[2]

After 1949

After the establishment of the

Geneva Talks

.

In 1955 Li was made Colonel-General in the PLA and Director of the CCP Central Investigation Department, which consolidated all Chinese foreign intelligence efforts into one central department. In recognition of his long service, in 1956 Li was elected to full membership of the CCP Central Committee.

Death

Li suffered a debilitating stroke in October 1959. After his stroke, Li was not seen in public again, except for once in 1960. Li Kenong died on February 9, 1962.

References

Citations

^ China, People's Republic of, in Richard Bennett Espionage: Spies and Secrets, 2012
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Biography, Xinhuanet.com
^ Barnouin and Yu 45-46
^ Barnouin and Yu 46-47
^ Barnouin and Yu 47