Hua Chunying file photo

Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying was appointed as the vice foreign minister, according to an official announcement on Monday. 

Hua was born in 1970 and graduated from Nanjing University. She has worked in the former Department of Western European Affairs, the Department of European Affairs, the Information Department, as well as at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore and the Chinese Mission to the EU, according to public records. 

From 2012 to 2019, Hua served as the deputy director-general of the department of press, communication and public diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). She is also the fifth female spokesperson for the MFA, following Li Jinhua, Fan Huijuan, Zhang Qiyue, and Jiang Yu. 

In July 2019, Hua Chunying succeeded Lu Kang as the director-general of the ministry's department of press, communication and public diplomacy. In October 2021, Hua was appointed assistant minister of foreign affairs.

She is also the third female deputy foreign minister, following Wang Hairong and Fu Ying.

Many Chinese netizens on social media were impressed by Hua's kindness and graceful manner while also replying with incisive and smart responses to the groundless smears and attacks led by the West against China amid US-led geopolitical confrontation with China. 

Her personal charm and professional performance also won the hearts of, not only Chinese journalists, but also foreign reporters in China, and many netizens call her "Sister Hua" on social media platforms. 

Hua has over 2.4 million followers on the X platform. She also left with many impressive quotes during the ministry's press conference. 

For instance, when some Western media badmouthed China's economy and highlighted a "looming demographic crisis," saying that this may obstruct the realization of the "Chinese dream" as promised by the Chinese leadership during a press conference on May 12, 2021, Hua responded that "I hope those who made up these China-related fallacies can enjoy health and happiness like the Chinese people and witness together with us the realization of the Chinese dream together."

Also, in response to a Global Times question about some US media claiming that Westerners working in China received notice that they may be arrested based on "fabricated" charges and taken as "hostage" by China anytime in the future after Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were released during a press conference on September 28, 2021, Hua said "the US is the inventor of 'hostage diplomacy' and 'coercive diplomacy,' whose birthplace and headquarters are in Washington DC."

In recent weeks, some personnel changes within the Chinese MFA have attracted public attention.

Lu Kang, a veteran diplomat who served as Chinese ambassador to Indonesia until recently, has been named the vice minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, the Party's arm in charge of external relations. 

Hong Kong media Singtao reported on Saturday that the ministry's spokesperson Wang Wenbin will step down as spokesperson. And there are some reports suggesting that Wang, with a wealth of experience and composure, will possibly be assigned as an ambassador to an important country or to another significant position, according to media reports. 

Global Times