Yu Dunhai (Chinese: 于敦海; born September 1973) is a Chinese diplomat, currently serving as Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, in office since August 2024. He previously served as the Chinese Ambassador to Malta from 2020 to 2024 and deputy director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China from 2019 to 2020.

Yu Dunhai
于敦海
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
Assumed office
August 2024
Preceded byCui Jianchun
Chinese Ambassador to Malta
In office
December 2020 – June 2024
Preceded byJiang Jiang
Deputy Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In office
July 2019 – December 2020
Serving with Wang Wenbin and Zhao Lijian
DirectorLiu Jianchao
Lu Kang
Hua Chunying
Preceded byHua Chunying
Personal details
BornSeptember 1973 (age 51)
Jimo, Shandong, China
(present-day Jimo District in Qingdao, Shandong, China)
Political partyChinese Communist Party

Early life

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Yu was born in the city of Jimo in Shandong, in 1973. He graduated from Renmin University.[1]

Diplomatic career

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In 1998, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and from 1998 to 2001, he served as staff member and attaché of the Arms Control Department within the ministry. From 2001 to 2005, he served as the attaché and third secretary of the Permanent Mission to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. From 2005 to 2010, Yu was the third secretary and deputy director of the Arms Control Department. He served as second secretary, first secretary and counselor at the Embassy of China in the United States, from 2010 to 2016.[1][2]

Upon his arrival from the United States in 2016, he was appointed as counsellor of the Information Department within the ministry. During his tenure, he served as the director of the press center of the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China. In 2018, he was appointed as the deputy director-general of the Information Department, succeeding Hua Chunying. While in this position, he served as press director at the 2018 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Qingdao, China.[3][4][5]

In December 2020, he was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Malta. During his tenure, a China pavilion consisting of Chinese art and cultural exhibits, was featured at Malta's first art biennale held at Fort Saint Elmo in 2024.[6] In a 2022 op-ed for Times of Malta, Yu wrote that the China and Malta friendship has "gone from strength to strength and continues to renew its vigour."[7] He resigned from the position on June 2024 and on the August of the same year, he was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria.[8][9]

Personal life

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He is married and has a daughter.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "新任驻马耳他大使于敦海抵马:中马关系始终保持旺盛生命力". The Paper. 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  2. ^ "于敦海参赞向美国雪城大学学生介绍中美关系". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States. 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  3. ^ "于敦海語中評:新聞中心體現三個理念". CRNTT.com. 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  4. ^ "专访上合组织青岛峰会新闻中心主任于敦海". China Daily. 2018-06-10. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  5. ^ ""华姐"归队 日本网友纷纷发来"贺电"". Sina. 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  6. ^ "China Pavilion unveiled at Malta's first art biennale". Xinhua. 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  7. ^ Yu, Dunhai (2022-01-31). "China-Malta friendship, going from strength to strength". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  8. ^ "The Speaker of the House of Representatives bids farewell to Chinese Ambassador in Malta". Malta Business Weekly. 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  9. ^ "Ambassador Yu Dunhai Arrives in Nigeria to Assume Duties". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Cui Jianchun(崔建春)
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
2024-
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Jiang Jiang (姜江)
Chinese Ambassador to Malta
2020-2024
Succeeded by
TBA