Minister of Foreign Affairs (China)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and one of the country's top and most important cabinet posts. Officially, the minister is nominated by the premier of the State Council, who is then approved by the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee and appointed by the president.[1]

Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the People's Republic of China
中华人民共和国外交部部长
Incumbent
Wang Yi
since 25 July 2023
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
StatusProvincial-Ministerial level official
Member ofState Council
Reports toCentral Foreign Affairs Commission
SeatMinistry of Foreign Affairs Building, Chaoyang District, Beijing
NominatorPremier
(chosen within the Chinese Communist Party)
AppointerPresident
with the confirmation of the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee
PrecursorMinister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China
Formation1 October 1949; 75 years ago (1949-10-01)
First holderZhou Enlai
DeputyVice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Websitewww.mfa.gov.cn/web/wjbz_673089/
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
Simplified Chinese中华人民共和国外交部部长
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Wàijiāobù Bùzhǎng
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese外交部部长
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWàijiāobù Bùzhǎng

The Minister usually is also a member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and a state councillor. The Minister is the second-highest ranking diplomat in China after the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission.[2] The current minister is Wang Yi, who concurrently serves as the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission.

History

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The post was initially established after the proclamation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949 as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central People's Government, with Zhou Enlai being appointed as both the minister and the premier.[3][4]

List of officeholders

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No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Important offices held during tenure Premier Ref.
Took office Left office Term
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central People's Government
1   Zhou Enlai
周恩来
(1898–1976)
1 October 1949 28 September 1954 4 years, 362 days Premier of the State Council Zhou Enlai [5]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
1   Zhou Enlai
周恩来
(1898–1976)
28 September 1954 11 February 1958 3 years, 136 days Premier of the State Council
Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party
Zhou Enlai [5]
2   Marshal
Chen Yi
陈毅
(1901–1972)
11 February 1958 6 January 1972 13 years, 329 days Vice Premier of the State Council
Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Leading Group
Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Vice Chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission
[6]
3   Ji Pengfei
姬鹏飞
(1910–2000)
6 January 1972 18 November 1973 1 year, 316 days Head of the Party Core Group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [7]
4   Qiao Guanhua
喬冠華
(1913–1983)
18 November 1973 2 December 1976 3 years, 14 days Zhou Enlai
Hua Guofeng
[8]
5   Huang Hua
黄华
(1913–2010)
2 December 1976 19 November 1982 5 years, 352 days Vice Premier of the State Council
State Councillor
Hua Guofeng
Zhao Ziyang
[9]
6   Wu Xueqian
吴学谦
(1921–2008)
19 November 1982 12 April 1988 5 years, 145 days Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
State Councillor
Deputy Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Leading Group
Zhao Ziyang [10]
7   Qian Qichen
钱其琛
(1928–2017)
12 April 1988 18 March 1998 9 years, 340 days Vice Premier of the State Council
State Councillor
Li Peng [11]
8   Tang Jiaxuan
唐家璇
(born 1938)
18 March 1998 17 March 2003 4 years, 364 days Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhu Rongji [12]
9   Li Zhaoxing
李肇星
(born 1940)
17 March 2003 27 April 2007 4 years, 41 days Wen Jiabao [13]
10   Yang Jiechi
杨洁篪
(born 1950)
27 April 2007 16 March 2013 5 years, 323 days State Councillor [14]
11   Wang Yi
王毅
(born 1953)
16 March 2013 30 December 2022 9 years, 289 days State Councillor
Member of the CCP Politburo

Li Keqiang
[15]
12   Qin Gang
秦刚
(born 1966)
30 December 2022 25 July 2023 207 days Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
State Councillor
[16]
Li Qiang
13   Wang Yi
王毅
(born 1953)
25 July 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 119 days Member of the CCP Politburo
Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission
[17]

Timeline

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Wang Yi (politician)Qin GangWang Yi (politician)Yang JiechiLi ZhaoxingTang JiaxuanQian QichenWu XueqianHuang HuaQiao GuanhuaJi PengfeiChen Yi (marshal)Zhou Enlai

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Constitution of the People's Republic of China". National People's Congress. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  2. ^ "China's Communist Party Names Wang Yi to Lead Foreign Policy". Bloomberg.com. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Mao Zedong Declares New Nation (1949)". Alpha History. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  4. ^ Martin 2021, p. 57.
  5. ^ a b "周恩来生平年谱(1950年——1966年)" [A Chronicle of Zhou Enlai's Life (1950-1966)]. Zhou Enlai Memorial Website. 9 February 2017. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. ^ "陈毅(1901—1972)" [Chen Yi (1901-1972)]. Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. 28 September 2011. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  7. ^ "姬鹏飞" [Ji Pengfei]. The Portal of the Central People's Government. 23 October 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  8. ^ "乔冠华" [Qiao Guanhua]. Communist Party of China News Network. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  9. ^ "黄华同志生平" [Comrade Huang Hua's life]. China Central Television. 6 December 2010. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  10. ^ "吴学谦同志生平" [Comrade Wu Xueqian's life]. Guangming Online. 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ "钱其琛同志生平" [Comrade Qian Qichen's life]. Xinhua News Agency. 18 May 2017. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  12. ^ "唐家璇" [Tang Jiaxuan]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  13. ^ "李肇星简历" [Li Zhaoxing's resume]. Phoenix.com. 27 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  14. ^ "杨洁篪同志简历" [Comrade Yang Jiechi's resume]. Xinhua News Agency. 25 October 2017. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  15. ^ "王毅同志简历" [Comrade Wang Yi's resume]. Guangming Daily. 24 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  16. ^ Tian, Yew Lun; Martina, Michael (30 December 2022). "China promotes its U.S. envoy Qin Gang to foreign minister". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  17. ^ "China replaces foreign minister Qin after brief stint and weeks of speculation". Reuters. 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.

Sources

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