China’s former ambassador to Iran takes on same role in Saudi Arabia

Middle East veteran Chang Hua makes the move after Beijing brokered a deal between the two countries to restore diplomatic relations last year

No new ambassador has been named to Tehran despite the spike in regional tensions in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza

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Chang Hua is moving from Tehran to Riyadh. Photo: X / Chang Hua

Published: 8:00pm, 10 May 2024

China’s former ambassador to Iran, Chang Hua, has been transferred to Saudi Arabia as part of a regular diplomatic reshuffle.

The move follows last year’s Chinese-brokered deal between the states to restore diplomatic relations.

The embassy in Riyadh announced the appointment and Chang’s arrival on Friday. In his inaugural address he said the embassy is “committed to promoting exchanges and cooperation between [China and Saudi Arabia] actively practising ‘diplomacy for the people’, and providing dedicated services to Chinese citizens” in Saudi Arabia.

Chang had been in Tehran since 2019 and left that post in April. He was previously ambassador to Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and used to be a senior official in the Communist Party’s diplomatic branch.

His predecessor as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Chen Weiqing, also left the post last month and has since been made director of the foreign ministry’s Department of West Asian and North African Affairs.

Chen succeeded Wang Di, who had recently been involved in talks with diplomats from Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Oman about the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.