Who is Ti-sen from Tai-Pan and what is their importance?

Ti-sen is a Chinese government official who deals with the Co-hong and the traders. He is the one who Longstaff angered when he sent a letter canceling the mandarin in Hong Kong. Ti-sen knows of Dirk's financial problems and provides Jin-qua with the equivalent of one million pounds to loan to Dirk, contingent on the acceptance of a mandarin in Hong-Kong. Ti-sen is branded a traitor by the emperor and is sentenced to death.