| Wang Guangya | |
|---|---|
| Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office October 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Liao Hui |
| Permanent Representatives of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations | |
| In office August 2003 – September 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Wang Yingfan |
| Succeeded by | Zhang Yesui |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1950 (age 61–62) Shanghai |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics Johns Hopkins University |
Wang Guangya (王光亚), born March 1950 in Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China,[1] is a Chinese diplomat who is currently Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. A career diplomat, Wang was previously Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. He served as Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations from 2003 to 2008.
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Wang studied at Student Center of British Council, Wales Atlantic United College and London School of Economics in the United Kingdom. He is a graduate from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in 1982.[2]
Wang is married to Chen Yi's daughter Cong Jun and has a son.[3]
Wang was appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 25 August 2003.[4] He was President of the United Nations Security Council for the month of February 2004. On 3 May 2006, when Britain and France introduced a U.N. Security Council resolution insisting Iran end its nuclear program, Wang commented, "I don't think this draft as it stands now will produce good results. I think it's tougher than expected."[5]
According to a September 2006 profile of Wang in The New York Times Magazine, he was considered the top contender for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in Beijing in 2007.[6]
In October 2010 he became the second director of the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office.[7] There have only been two directors for the affairs office. Wang spents most of his time in Beijing.[7] Though he did make a three day visit to HK in 2011 to address the Home Ownership Scheme issue. His working style is very different compared to the previous director Liao Hui who kept silent from public and worked in mystery the 13 years he was in charge of HK.[8]
Zhao Lianhai was a worker who defended the victims of the 2008 Chinese milk scandal. On December 29, 2010 Wang Guangya said that because of the One country, two systems Hong Kong should not interfere with the issue. He then made a controversial statement "well water (HK) should not pollute the river water (China)" (井水不犯河水). Pro-Beijing member Ip Kwok-him then tried to defend the director by saying that HK citizens were only concerned about mainland affairs, and that they do care about One country two systems as well as the mainland justice system.[9][10] Chief Secretary for Administration Henry Tang was asked to interpret what the water-river statement meant. He only smiled and did not answer.[11] The phrase was first used by former President Jiang Zemin in December 1989 when he met the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He previously said "Well water should not pollute river water, river water should not pollute well water."[12]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Wang Yingfan |
Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations 2003–2008 |
Succeeded by Zhang Yesui |