Veteran mainland Chinese diplomat installed as deputy director of Beijing’s top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs
- Yang Wanming, 58, an expert in Latin American affairs, appointed as deputy director at Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office
- He previously served as Chinese ambassador to Brazil from December 2018 to March
A veteran diplomat experienced in Latin American affairs has been installed as a deputy director of China’s top government agency overseeing Hong Kong affairs.
The State Council on Wednesday announced that Yang Wanming, who stepped down as Chinese ambassador to Brazil only last month, was appointed a deputy director at its Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO).
Yang, 58, had been the ambassador to Brazil since December 2018. Before that, he had also served as ambassador to Argentina from 2014 to 2018 and ambassador to Chile from 2012 to 2014.
Since the mid-2000s, he had worked at the Chinese foreign ministry’s department of Latin American and Caribbean affairs.
Wang Linggui, an expert in national security and international relations, was appointed deputy director of the HKMAO last month, filling one of the vacancies left behind after Song Zhe and Deng Zhonghua stepped down. Wang was a vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, seen as one of Beijing’s top think tanks.
Song is former foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong, while Deng is an expert in international law.
Yang’s appointment filled the remaining vacancy.