Zhang Ming Explained

Zhang Ming
Office1:Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Term Start1:1 January 2022
Predecessor1:Vladimir Norov
Office2:Chinese Ambassador to the European Union
Term Start2:October 2017
Term End2:December 2021
Successor2:Fu Cong
Office3:Chinese Ambassador to Kenya
Term Start3:September 2006
Term End3:March 2009
Birth Place:Li County, Hebei, China
Alma Mater:Beijing Foreign Studies University
Party:Communist Party of China

Zhang Ming (born June 1957) is a Chinese diplomat who is currently the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Biography

Zhang was born in Li County in the city of Baoding in Hebei.[1] 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. 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.[2]

In October 2017, he became Ambassador to the European Union.[3] [4] [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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 张明. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China . 4 March 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220916091811/https://www.mfa.gov.cn/web/ziliao_674904/wjrw_674925/lrfbzjbzzl_674933/201202/t20120207_7950130.shtml . 16 September 2022.
  2. News: 【一周人事信息】张明任外交部副部长 高云龙任光大副总. 2013-12-07. 人民网. 2013-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214080001/http://renshi.people.com.cn/n/2013/1206/c368940-23770551.html. live.
  3. Web site: 张明已担任中国驻欧盟使团团长 . 2017-10-13 . 澎湃新闻 . 2022-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220604044403/http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1824129 . live .
  4. Web site: 张明不再担任外交部副部长职务 . 2017-10-13 . 澎湃新闻 . 2022-06-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220603225547/http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1823886 . live .
  5. News: China's EU ambassador calls for better communication in farewell message . 18 December 2021 . South China Morning Post . 18 December 2021 . en . 2 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220402171243/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3160238/chinas-eu-ambassador-says-better-communication-needed-farewell . live .
  6. News: NATO Deputy Secretary General meets new Chinese Ambassador . NATO . 10 January 2023 . 9 April 2023 . 9 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409134205/https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_210521.htm?selectedLocale=en . live .
  7. News: 5 January 2022 . China's outgoing EU envoy gets top job at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation . en . . 5 January 2022 . 1 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220301034256/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3162223/chinas-outgoing-eu-envoy-lead-shanghai-cooperation . live .
  8. Web site: 中国人民政治协商会议第十三届全国委员会委员名单. 2018-01-26. 网易. https://web.archive.org/web/20180127143232/http://sports.163.com/18/0126/06/D92BRKK400051C89.html. 2018-01-27. dead.