Wang Yi (politician)

Wang Yi
王毅
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
16 March 2013
Premier Li Keqiang
Deputy Zhang Yesui
Preceded by Yang Jiechi
Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office
In office
1 June 2008 – 16 March 2013
Premier Wen Jiabao
Preceded by Chen Yunlin
Succeeded by Zhang Zhijun
Ambassador to Japan
In office
26 September 2004 – 24 September 2007
Preceded by Wu Dawei
Succeeded by Cui Tiankai
Personal details
Born (1953-10-08) 8 October 1953
Beijing, China
Political party Communist Party
Alma mater Beijing International Studies University
China Foreign Affairs University
Gakushuin University
Georgetown University
Signature

Wang Yi (Chinese: 王毅; pinyin: Wáng Yì; born 8 October 1953) is a Chinese diplomat and politician. He formerly served as China's Vice Foreign Minister, Ambassador to Japan, and Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office. As of March 2013, he is the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China.

Personal life

Wang was born in 1953 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.

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 (BISU). He studied the Japanese language at the institution, graduating in February 1982 with a bachelor's degree.

Wang's wife is the daughter of Qian Jiadong, the Foreign Affairs Secretary of Zhou Enlai.

Career

Early career

Upon graduation from university, Wang was sent to the Asian section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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. When he returned to China in March 1994, Wang was appointed as vice section chief of the Asian section of the 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. Soon after his return, he was promoted to Minister assistant and the director of office of policy research. From September 1999, Wang studied international relations at China Foreign Affairs University and obtained a master's degree. In February 2001, Wang was elevated to deputy Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in charge of Asian affairs. He was then the youngest deputy Minister.

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 PRC.[1]

Wang has been a member of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in session between 2007 and 2012 and the current 18th Central Committee in session between 2012 and 2017.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Appointment

On 16 March 2013, Wang was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs after he was approved by the Congress.[2]

Middle East mediation

Wang initiated a significant state visit to the Middle East in December 2013 to visit Israel and the Palestinian National Authority. 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."[3][4]

China-Arab Summit

In June 2014, during the China-Arab summit in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang met his Somali counterpart Abdirahman Duale Beyle to discuss bilateral cooperation between China and Somalia. The meeting was held at the Chinese foreign ministry center and focused on trade, security and reconstruction. Among the issues discussed were the various Chinese development projects that are in the process of being implemented in Somalia. Beyle also indicated that the Chinese authorities are slated to broaden their support for Somalia, which would serve to create new employment opportunities. Additionally, Wang commended the Somali federal government on its peace-building efforts. He likewise reaffirmed the historically close diplomatic ties between both territories, recalling China's recognition of the nascent Somali Republic in 1960 and Somalia's subsequent campaigning which helped China obtain a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.[5]

Canadian journalist incident

During a joint news conference in Ottawa on the 1st 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".[6][7][8][9][10]

Internet celebrity

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.[11]

See also

References

Media related to Wang Yi (politician) at Wikimedia Commons

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Wu Dawei		 Chinese Ambassador to Japan
2004–2007 		Succeeded by
Cui Tiankai
Political offices
Preceded by
Yang Jiechi		 Minister of Foreign Affairs
2013–present 		Incumbent
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