Who emerged as the head of the Nationalist Party and de facto ruler of China by the late 1920s? AP World History Chapter 29 Who emerged as the head of the Nationalist Party and de facto ruler of China by the late 1920s? a. Mao Zedong b. Li Dizhao c. Chiang Kai-shek d. Yuan Shikai e. Sun Yat-sen Answer: C Learn More : Share this Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterPlus on Google+