Giorgi Margvelashvili vs Li Hongzhang

Margvelashvili won the presidential election with 62% of the vote as the candidate of the Georgian Dream coalition. He succeeded Mikheil Saakashvili, marking the first peaceful transfer of power in post-Soviet Georgia.

Margvelashvili signed the Association Agreement with the European Union, deepening Georgia's political and economic integration with Europe. The agreement included a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, strengthening ties with the West.

Margvelashvili vetoed the Anti-Discrimination Law, citing concerns over its vague language and potential to restrict freedom of speech. Parliament overrode his veto, and the law was passed, which was a requirement for visa liberalization with the EU.

Margvelashvili oversaw the adoption of constitutional amendments that transformed Georgia from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic. The presidency became a largely ceremonial role, with executive power shifting to the prime minister.

Margvelashvili completed his single term as president and did not seek re-election. He was succeeded by Salome Zourabichvili, the first female president of Georgia, in a peaceful transition of power.

Li Hongzhang became a leading figure in the Self-Strengthening Movement, promoting modernization of China's military and industry. He established arsenals, shipyards, and telegraph lines, and modernized the Beiyang Fleet to counter foreign threats.

Li Hongzhang commanded the Huai Army in campaigns against the Taiping rebels, recapturing Suzhou and other cities. His military efforts helped crush the rebellion and restore Qing control over eastern China.

Li Hongzhang oversaw the creation of the Beiyang Fleet, the most modern naval force in Asia at the time. The fleet was intended to defend China's coasts but was largely destroyed in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894.

Li Hongzhang negotiated and signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The treaty ceded Taiwan and the Pescadores to Japan, recognized Korean independence, and imposed a large indemnity on China.

Li Hongzhang was the chief Qing negotiator for the Boxer Protocol, which ended the Boxer Rebellion. The agreement imposed a massive indemnity on China, allowed foreign troops in Beijing, and further weakened Qing sovereignty.