Zhang Ming (simplified Chinese: 张明; traditional Chinese: 張明; pinyin: Zhāng Míng, born June 1957[1]) is a Chinese diplomat who is currently the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Zhang Ming
Zhang in 2020
Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Assumed office
1 January 2022
Preceded byVladimir Norov
Chinese Ambassador to the European Union
In office
October 2017 – December 2021
Preceded byYang Yanyi [zh]
Succeeded byFu Cong
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya
In office
September 2006 – March 2009
Preceded byGuo Chongli [zh]
Succeeded byDeng Hongbo [zh]
Personal details
BornJune 1957 (age 67)
Li County, Hebei, China
Political partyCommunist Party of China
Alma materBeijing Foreign Studies University

Biography

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Zhang was born in Li County in the city of Baoding in Hebei.[2] He graduated from the Faculty of Asian and African Languages of Beijing Foreign Studies University with a bachelor's degree. Zhang began his career in 1975 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1983.[citation needed] In 2001, he became Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2006, he became an Ambassador to Kenya, Permanent Representative to UNEP and Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat. In 2009, he became Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the MFA. In 2010, he became Director-General of the General Office of the MFA. In 2011, he became Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the general office, staff, and archival work. In December 2013, he became Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.[3]

In October 2017, he became Ambassador to the European Union.[4][1][5] Simultaneously he became Chef de Mission to NATO.[6]

In his role as ambassador, he was reportedly perceived as "an old-school diplomat", not a "wolf warrior".[7] In January 2018, he was chosen as a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[8] In 2021, during his farewell speech as Ambassador to the EU, Zhang advocated cooperation, multilateralism, and better communication in China–EU relations.[5]

In January 2022, he became Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "张明不再担任外交部副部长职务". 澎湃新闻. 2017-10-13. Archived from the original on 2022-06-03.
  2. ^ "张明". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  3. ^ "【一周人事信息】张明任外交部副部长 高云龙任光大副总". 人民网. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  4. ^ "张明已担任中国驻欧盟使团团长". 澎湃新闻. 2017-10-13. Archived from the original on 2022-06-04.
  5. ^ a b "China's EU ambassador calls for better communication in farewell message". South China Morning Post. 18 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  6. ^ "NATO Deputy Secretary General meets new Chinese Ambassador". NATO. 10 January 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b "China's outgoing EU envoy gets top job at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation". South China Morning Post. 5 January 2022. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. ^ "中国人民政治协商会议第十三届全国委员会委员名单". 网易. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2018-01-26.