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298 afterwards of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1915, when Lu Cheng-heiang was recalled from Switzerland where he was recuperating his health to become Minister of Foreign Affairs to handle the delicate negotiations over the Twenty-One Demands presented by the Japanese government, Mr. Hsia was appointed Councillor of the Ministry. After the failure of Yuan Shihkai's monarchical scheme, he created the Politics Studying Commission to devise means and ways for the improvement of internal politics. Mr. Hsia was elected Chief Secretary of the Commission, of which many prominent foreign advisers like Dr. Morrison, Dr. Willoughby and Dr. Agria, were members. In April 1916, Mr. Hsia was appointed acting Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs. In October he was ordered to officiate as Minister, just before the assumption of this important office by Dr. Wu Ting-fang. In December 1916, he resigned from this post and later accepted the advisorship to the President's Office and also to the Cabinet, besides serving as a member of the War Commission. In October 1917, Mr. Hsia was appointed Minister to Brazil and Peru. These posts he is still holding. In January 1920 he was awarded the Second Order of Wenfu. In March 1921 here presented China at the Centenary of the Republic of Peru, and a year later at the Centenary of the Independence of Brazil. In October 1922, he received the First Order of Tashou Chiaho.