After this, for a time, he became leader of the splinter Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang (RCCK), then switched sides and joined the Communists, collaborating with Mao Zedong and holding political office in the new People's Republic of China.

He interrupted his studies after the Wuchang revolt of October 1911 to serve as chief of staff of the 22nd Division of the revolutionary army in Jiangsu.

After the establishment of the Republic of China, Li completed his education and remained at the Beijing academy, now called the Military Staff College, this time as an instructor.

Deng was assassinated in March 1922, and Chen Jiongming staged a coup in June of that year, which Li helped to put down.

[2] In 1924, after serving briefly as commissioner of reconstruction of the West River-Wuzhou area and as Wuzhou garrison commander, Li became Deputy Dean of the newly established Whampoa Military Academy under Chiang Kai-shek.

In November 1927, Li left Guangdong with Wang Jingwei to attend a plenary session of the Committee in Shanghai on the subject of restoring party unity.

[2] In 1929, Li traveled to Nanjing to attend the 3rd National Congress and mediate a dispute that had arisen between the Nationalist government and the New Guangxi clique.

[2] In 1935, Li joined with associates to found the Chinese People's Revolutionary League, which advocated resistance against Japan and overthrow of the Nationalist government.

[2] In 1938, in the name of unity against the Japanese threat, Li was restored to membership in the Kuomintang, and again became a member of the Military Affairs Commission and the State Council.

For this, Li was again expelled from the Kuomintang on Chiang's orders, for "making unwarranted statements and inciting the people to riot".

[2] Li left Hong Kong in early 1949 and traveled north to Beijing, invited by Mao Zedong, and assisted in the preparatory work for the founding of the new People's Republic of China.

[1] In addition to these positions, in January 1953 Li was named to the committee responsible for drafting the first Constitution of the People's Republic of China.