The career prospects of former deputy foreign minister and rising diplomatic star He Yafei seemed up in the air after the failed Copenhagen climate talks in 2009. But mainland analysts say his reassignment this week to the central government's Overseas Chinese Affairs Office looks like redemption.
The 57-year-old Zhejiang native began his diplomatic career as a translator for the United Nations before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Africa department in 1984. He went on to the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, and spent several years in Zimbabwe, the UN and the US. In 2008, He became deputy foreign minister for American, Hong Kong and Macau affairs, after heading the ministry's North America and Oceania portfolio in Beijing for five years.
Once tipped as a strong candidate for ambassador to the US, He's smooth rise seemed to have gone off the rails when he was moved to Geneva in March 2010 as ambassador to the UN, a few months after the failed 2009 climate talks, where he was the Chinese delegation's deputy head.
The talks ended with a feeble non-binding agreement and some countries blamed the failure on China's tough stance. Some also said He's tough rhetoric in the pre-summit talks exacerbated the sour mood between China and the US.
He said US climate envoy Todd Stern either 'lacked common sense' or was 'extremely irresponsible' in saying that China should not expect US climate aid money and that the US was not in debt to the world for its historical carbon dioxide emissions.
Some analysts at the time said He acted out of line, while others said he did not say anything counter to the Chinese delegation's general mood. It is unclear whether he was punished for his role in Copenhagen or if he was a scapegoat for the failed talks. In any case, his post as deputy chief of the State Council's Overseas Chinese Affairs Office suggests he's back on track.