Wu Sike (born May 1946) is a senior diplomat of the People's Republic of China. He succeeded Sun Bigan in 2009 as China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue, serving in that position until 2014.[1][2] Before assuming the office, he served successively as Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2003 and Ambassador to Egypt from 2003 to 2007.[3] Wu started to learn the Arabic language in 1965, when he was admitted to Beijing International Studies University.[4]

Wu Sike
吴思科
China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue
In office
March 2009 – 5 September 2014
Preceded bySun Bigan
Succeeded byGong Xiaosheng
Chinese Ambassador to Egypt
In office
June 2003 – November 2007
Preceded byLiu Xiaoming
Succeeded byWu Chunhua
Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
In office
April 2000 – August 2003
Preceded byYu Xingzhi
Succeeded byWu Chunhua
Personal details
BornMay 1946 (age 78)
Yingshang, Anhui
SpouseLi Jianhua
Alma materBeijing International Studies University

In Wu's role as Special Envoy, he focused primarily on the Middle Eastern peace process. Wu's criticisms of Israel increased as a result of Israel's blockade of Gaza and its raiding of a flotilla carrying aid while the flotilla was in international waters.[5]

Although the focus of the Special Envoy position continued to the peace process, Wu also sought to address the conflict in Syria and a number of other issues in the region.[6] Near the end of his return, Wu remarked, "The stability of Iraq is key to peace and stability of the entire Middle East, as well as that of the world."[6]

References

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  1. ^ Ambassador Wu Sike to Succeed Ambassador Sun Bigan as China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China, 2009/03/20. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. ^ China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Ambassador Wu Sike to Visit Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League Headquarters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China, 2013/05/28. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Wu Sike". CRIENGLISH.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  4. ^ PEOPLE/POINTS: New Middle East Envoy, Beijing Review, no. 13, March/April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  5. ^ Murphy, Dawn C. (2022). China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order. Stanford, California. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-5036-3060-4. OCLC 1249712936.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ a b Murphy, Dawn C. (2022). China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order. Stanford, California. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-5036-3060-4. OCLC 1249712936.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)