Wang Yi
王毅
Wang in 2023
Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission
Assumed office
1 January 2023
General SecretaryXi Jinping
Foreign MinisterQin Gang
Himself
Preceded byYang Jiechi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
25 July 2023
PremierLi Qiang
Party SecretaryQi Yu
Preceded byQin Gang
In office
16 March 2013 – 30 December 2022
PremierLi Keqiang
Party SecretaryZhang Yesui
Qi Yu
Preceded byYang Jiechi
Succeeded byQin Gang
State Councilor of the People's Republic of China
In office
19 March 2018 – 12 March 2023
PremierLi Keqiang
8th Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office
In office
1 June 2008 – 16 March 2013
PremierWen Jiabao
Preceded byChen Yunlin
Succeeded byZhang Zhijun
Chinese Ambassador to Japan
In office
26 September 2004 – 24 September 2007
Preceded byWu Dawei
Succeeded byCui Tiankai
Personal details
Born (1953-10-19) 19 October 1953
Beijing, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (1981–present)[1]
Education
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionDiplomat
Websitewww.gov.cn/wangyi

Wang Yi (Chinese: 王毅; pinyin: Wáng Yì; born 19 October 1953) is a Chinese diplomat and politician who has been serving as Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office since January 2023, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs of China since July 2023 (previously from 2013 to 2022).

Wang is a member of the 20th Politburo. He previously served as State Councilor of China from 2018 to 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China from 2013 to 2022, Director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office from 2008 to 2013, and Chinese Ambassador to Japan from 2004 to 2007.

Early and personal life

Wang was born in Beijing. After graduating from high school in September 1969, he was sent to Northeast China. He subsequently served in the Northeast Construction Army Corps in Heilongjiang Province for eight years.[2]

In December 1977, Wang returned to Beijing and in the same year was enrolled in the department of Asian and African Languages of Beijing International Studies University. He studied Japanese at the institution, graduating in February 1982 with a bachelor's degree. He is known to speak fluent English and Japanese.[3]

Early career (1982–2013)

Upon graduation from university, Wang was sent to the Asian section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by his father-in-law Qian Jiadong, where he began his career as a diplomat. In September 1989, he was sent to the Chinese embassy in Japan and served there for five years.[2] When he returned to China in March 1994, Wang was appointed as vice section chief of the Asian section of the foreign ministry and was promoted to section chief the next year. From August 1997 to February 1998, Wang was a visiting scholar at the Institute of Foreign Relations of Georgetown University in the United States.[4][5] Soon after his return, he was promoted to assistant minister and the director of office of policy research. From September 1999, Wang studied international relations at China Foreign Affairs University and obtained a doctoral degree. In February 2001, Wang was elevated to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, in charge of Asian affairs.

In September 2004, Wang was appointed as China's Ambassador to Japan. He served in this post until September 2007. In June 2008, Wang succeeded Chen Yunlin as the director of Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China.[6]

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013–2022)

Wang signs a document in 2016 under the guidance of Xi Jinping and the President of Chile; at the other end of the table the Chilean foreign minister is signing the mirror copy

On 16 March 2013, during the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), Wang was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, succeeding Yang Jiechi.[7]

China's foreign policy under Xi Jinping's has been described as increasingly assertive, even to the point of being dubbed Wolf warrior diplomacy. In his inaugural press conference as Foreign Affairs Minister in March 2014, Wang characterized this new direction as "proactively striving for achievements to let the world hear of the Chinese solutions and Chinese voices."[8] In 2017, Wang's leader described the "Two Guidances", the principles that: (1) China should guide the global community in building a more just and reasonable world order, and (2) that China should guide the global community in safeguarding international security.[9] Following the "Two Guidances", Wang compared China as the "leading goat" in "guiding the reform of global governance."[9]

In July 2016, Wang became an internet celebrity on the Chinese micro-blog Sina Weibo. A fan club on Weibo devoted to Wang has more than 130,000 followers.[10]

In March 2018, Wang was promoted as a State Councilor by the NPC.[11]

Middle East

Wang looks on as Xi and Trump face off at the 2018 G20 Buenos Aires Summit

Wang initiated a significant state visit to the Middle East in December 2013 to visit Israel and Palestine. He discussed with leaders of both countries the importance of the nuclear agreement with Iran and the importance of the continued peace talks, saying "War does not solve the problems. Violence increases the hatred. The peace talks are the appropriate and the only path".[12]

East Asia

Wang with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, 29 May 2021

On the evening of 15 April 2018, Wang was received by his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, on the first such official visit of a Foreign Minister of China to Japan since November 2009.[13]

Canadian journalist incident

Wang with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Brasília, 25 July 2019

During a joint news conference in Ottawa on 1 June 2016, with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion, Wang responded to Canadian reporter Amanda Connolly of online news site iPolitics over a question she raised regarding human rights in China, saying "Your question was full of prejudice against China and an arrogance that comes from I don't know where. This is totally unacceptable to me".[14][15][16]

Xinjiang internment camps

In 2018, Wang said the world should ignore "gossip" about Xinjiang internment camps.[17] In March 2021, Wang said that "We welcome more people to visit Xinjiang - seeing is believing. This is the best way to debunk rumours."[18] However, journalists from the British state broadcaster BBC claim without providing evidence to have been followed by unmarked cars, chased out of restaurants and shops, and compelled to delete footage while trying to report from Xinjiang. It is unclear however if the BBC team broke any Chinese laws or were suspected of malicious intentions in their work in China. [19]

Diplomatic recognition of PRC

Wang and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement on 27 March 2021

During Wang's current Foreign Ministry leadership, he has facilitated obtaining the diplomatic recognition of China by Panama in 2017 as well as getting the Dominican Republic and El Salvador[20] to switch over in recognizing China (People's Republic of China) instead of Taiwan (Republic of China) in 2018.[21][22]

Hong Kong

In March 2021, Wang supported the decision to have only "patriots" rule Hong Kong, stating that "loving Hong Kong and loving the motherland are consistent requirements...in the past 24 years since Hong Kong's [handover], no one has cared more about the [SAR's] democracy, prosperity and stability than the central government."[18]

COVID-19

Wang with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 23 September 2022

It was reported that during Wang's visit to Norway in August 2020, he said that while China was the first country to report the existence of the virus to the World Health Organization, "it does not mean that the virus originated in China. Actually, for the past months, we have seen reports ... showing that the virus emerged in different parts of the world, and may have emerged earlier than in China".[23]

United States

On 22 February 2021, Wang urged the administration of US President Joe Biden to lift the sanctions on trade and people-to-people contact imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump. At the Foreign Ministry forum on US-China relations, he said that the US "must not interfere in the internal affairs of China".[24]

Wang criticized the speed and timing of the withdrawal of the American-led NATO forces from Afghanistan and urged them to withdraw in a "responsible and orderly manner".[25]

Russia

Wang with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018

On 28 July 2022, Wang attended the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who praised the "traditional friendship" between Russia and China.[26] In October 2022, he reaffirmed support for Russia, saying that China will "firmly support Russia, under the leadership of President Putin … to further establish Russia's status as a major power on the international stage".[27] In December 2022, Wang defended China's position on the Russo-Ukrainian War and said that China would "deepen strategic mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation" with Russia".[28]

Director of the Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister (2023–present)

In October 2022, following the 1st Plenary Session of the 20th CCP National Congress, Wang became a member of the Politburo of the CCP, even though he surpassed the informal retirement age of 68, being at the age of 69 at the time. He was succeeded as foreign minister by Qin Gang on 30 December 2022.[29] On 1 January 2023, Wang was appointed as the director of the Office of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission, making him China's top diplomat under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping.[30] In March 2023, he was succeeded by Qin Gang as State Councilor after the first session of the 14th National People's Congress.[31]

On 25 July 2023, Wang was reinstated as foreign minister after Qin Gang's dismissal from the post after a month–long absence from public engagements.[32][33] Wang's reappointment as foreign minister made him the first person to hold the post twice.

Russo-Ukrainian war

In February 2023, Wang announced his peace initiative for the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the 59th Munich Security Conference.[34] Wang chose to have his Chargé d'affaires Dai Bing not present his peace plan at the 18th plenary meeting of the eleventh emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly. He decided to have Dai mention his peace plan only by passing reference at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine the next day, 24 February 2023.[35]

While the plan attracted support from Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the plan "doesn't have much credibility because [the Chinese] have not been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine."[36]

Apparent advocacy for the establishment of an East Asian race-based alliance

On 3 July 2023, at the 2023 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation in Qingdao, Wang made remarks during a speech towards the participating Japanese and South Korean audience where he called for Japan and South Korea to work together with China to "prosper together, revitalize East Asia, revitalize Asia and benefit the world" by controversially stating that "most Americans and Europeans can't tell China, Japan and South Korea apart" and that "no matter how blonde you dye your hair, how sharp you shape your nose, you can never become a European or American, you can never become a Westerner." before further adding they must know where their "roots lie."[37][38] Some scholars criticized Wang's speech, as it appeared to overtly endorse the notion of actively supporting and advocating for the establishment of a racially-based alliance among East Asians in East Asia as racist. Geopolitical scholars in the academic community drew parallels between Wang's acerbic political rhetoric, which was implicitly marked by pronounced racial undertones, owing to its reminiscent resemblance and resonating traits of Imperial Japan's conceptualization of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere during the earlier part of the 20th century.[39]

Israel

During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel expressed "deep disappointment" over China's failure to condemn the Palestinian militant group Hamas.[40] In response, Wang Yi stated that in Gaza, "Israel’s actions have gone beyond self-defense."[41]

Awards and decorations

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Minister". fmprc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 "王毅显赫背景：岳父陪周恩来走完人生路 | 文学城". www.wenxuecity.com (in Simplified Chinese). 20 November 2015. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  3. ↑ Ford, Peter (18 March 2013). "The new face of Chinese diplomacy: Who is Wang Yi?". The Christian Science Monitor. Beijing. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  4. ↑ "外交部同事眼中的王毅："他的魅力是这个时代赋予的" – 环球人物". 环球人物 paper.people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "王毅简历-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Biography of Wang Yi". China Vitae. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  7. ↑ "China People's Congress approves new cabinet". BBC News. 16 March 2013. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Zhao, Suisheng (2023). The dragon roars back : transformational leaders and dynamics of Chinese foreign policy. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-1-5036-3088-8. OCLC 1331741429. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  9. 1 2 Zhao, Suisheng (2023). The dragon roars back : transformational leaders and dynamics of Chinese foreign policy. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-5036-3088-8. OCLC 1331741429. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "People Are Super Thirsty Over This Diplomat And It's Kinda Weird". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Ng, Teddy (19 March 2018). "China promotes foreign minister Wang Yi to state councillor, General Wei Fenghe named defence minister". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "China FM: Iran deal 'first step' toward settling nuclear issue". The Times of Israel. 19 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  13. ↑ "China foreign minister Wang Yi visits Japan for talks on North Korea, regional issues". The Straits Times. AFP. 15 April 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  14. ↑ Buckley, Chris (2 June 2016). "China's Foreign Minister Castigates Canadian Reporter for Rights Question". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "China berates Canadian reporter". CNN. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  16. ↑ Kassam, Ashifa; Phillips, Tom (2 June 2016). "Chinese minister vents anger when Canadian reporter asks about human rights". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Academics condemn China over Xinjiang camps, urge sanctions". Al Jazeera. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  18. 1 2 "'Only Chinese people have a say in China's affairs' - RTHK". RTHK. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Sudworth, John (15 January 2021). "China's pressure and propaganda - the reality of reporting Xinjiang". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  20. ↑ Kuo, Lily (21 August 2018). "Taiwan vows to stand up to China after El Salvador cuts ties". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  21. ↑ Yu, Jess Macy (1 May 2018). "Taiwan angry as China snatches ally away". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  22. ↑ Ramzy, Austin (1 May 2018). "Taiwan's Diplomatic Isolation Increases as Dominican Republic Recognizes China". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  23. ↑ Fouche, Gwladys (27 August 2020). "Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi casts doubt on coronavirus originating in China". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  24. ↑ "China urges US to lift trade restrictions, stop interference". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  25. ↑ "China: Collective Efforts Required to Contain Afghan Insecurity 'Spillover'". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021.
  26. ↑ "Russia's 'traditional friendship' with China remains strong, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says". South China Morning Post. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  27. ↑ Wang, Amber (28 October 2022). "China reasserts 'firm support' for Russia as Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls Moscow counterpart". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  28. ↑ "China's Foreign Minister Signals Deeper Ties With Russia". Voice of America. 25 December 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  29. ↑ Tian, Yew Lun; Martina, Michael (30 December 2022). "China promotes its U.S. envoy Qin Gang to foreign minister". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  30. ↑ "China's Communist Party Names Wang Yi to Lead Foreign Policy". Bloomberg News. 1 January 2023. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  31. ↑ Lo, Kinling (12 March 2023). "China's 'two sessions' 2023: Qin Gang named state councillor in latest move marking foreign minister's rapid rise1". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  32. ↑ "China replaces foreign minister Qin after brief stint and weeks of speculation". Reuters. 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  33. ↑ "Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang removed from office". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  34. ↑ Wang, Yi (18 February 2023). "MSC 2023: Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi announces peace initiative for Ukraine". BR24. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  35. ↑ Dai, Bing (24 February 2023). "Remarks by Chargé d'affaires Ambassador Dai Bing at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine". Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  36. ↑ Preussen, Wilhelmine (27 February 2023). "Orbán backs China's Ukraine peace plan". Politico Europe. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  37. ↑ "Remember your 'roots', China tells neighbors". Bangkok Post. 4 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  38. ↑ Gan, Nectar (4 July 2023). "'You can never become a Westerner:' China's top diplomat urges Japan and South Korea to align with Beijing and 'revitalize Asia'". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  39. ↑ "China dismisses criticism of top diplomat's comments appearing to push for race-based alliance". Associated Press. 5 July 2023. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  40. ↑ "Israel says 'deeply disappointed' over lack of China condemnation of Hamas attack". Reuters. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023.
  41. ↑ Tan, Clement (16 October 2023). "China says Israel's actions in Gaza are 'beyond self defense' as U.S. races to avert wider conflict". CNBC.
  42. ↑ "FM Szijjártó Decorates Chinese Counterpart for 'Proving His Friendship with Hungary' During Covid". Hungary Today. 31 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  43. ↑ Lelik, Anna (22 June 2016). "Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek Hopes Chinese Investment Can Produce Industrial Breakthrough". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  44. ↑ "蒙古总统巴嘎班迪向唐家璇等三人授勋". fmprc.gov.cn (in Chinese). 6 July 2004. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  45. ↑ "President Mamnoon confers 'Hilal-e-Pakistan' on Chinese FM". SUCH TV. 12 February 2015. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  46. ↑ "Resolución N° 760/016". Centro de Información Oficial (IMPO) (in Spanish). 10 July 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  47. ↑ "Resolución N° 94/018". Centro de Información Oficial (IMPO) (in Spanish). 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
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