Zhao Bingjun (1859-1914) was the third premier of the Republic of China

Premier of the Republic of China

The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...

 from 25 September 1912 to 1 May 1913. Zhao was previously a public security official during the Qing dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

 and became minister of the interior during the republic before becoming premier. He was directly implicated in the assassination of Song Jiaoren

Song Jiaoren

Song Jiaoren was a Chinese republican revolutionary, political leader and a founder of the Kuomintang . He was assassinated in 1913 after leading his Kuomintang party to victory in China's first democratic elections...

, the man most likely to be his successor. The murder was most likely ordered by the provisional president, Yuan Shikai

Yuan Shikai

Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...

, who was angry that Song wanted to fill the cabinet with Nationalists

Kuomintang

The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

 that will obstruct Yuan's policies. Zhao protested his and Yuan's innocence but resigned to protect Yuan's government. He was made governor of Zhili

Zhili

Zhílì was a northern province in China from the Ming Dynasty until the province was dissolved in 1928 during the Republic of China era.-History:...

. Zhao was mysteriously poisoned in 1914, most likely by Yuan to prevent him from leaking more details of Song's death to the press.