Li Zhi

Li Zhi established the Anxi Protectorate to administer the newly conquered territories in Central Asia. This administrative structure governed the Tarim Basin and parts of modern Xinjiang, securing Tang control over the Silk Road trade routes.

Under Li Zhi's reign, Tang forces under Su Dingfang defeated the Western Turkic Khaganate, destroying their power in Central Asia. This victory extended Tang control over the Silk Road and established Chinese hegemony in the region for decades.

Tang forces allied with Silla to conquer the Korean kingdom of Baekje in 660, then Goguryeo in 668. These campaigns brought the Korean Peninsula under Tang suzerainty for a time, marking the greatest territorial extent of the Tang dynasty.

Li Zhi suffered a stroke that impaired his vision and ability to govern. His empress, Wu Zetian, began to handle state affairs, gradually accumulating power. This marked the beginning of her rise to de facto rule, which would later lead to her becoming emperor.