Speaker

Jianmin WU

Former Ambassador of China to France

Ambassador Wu is currently Member of the Foreign Policy Advisory Group of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Special Research Fellow of Counsellors’ office of the State Council, Member and Vice President of the European Academy of Sciences and Honorary President of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE).

From 2003-2008, Ambassador Wu served as President of China Foreign Affairs University, Executive Vice President of China National Association for International Studies, Vice Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee and Spokesman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Earlier, he served as China’s Ambassador to France (1998-2003); to the United Nations Office in Geneva and to other international organizations in Switzerland (1996-98); and to the Netherlands (1994-95). Before that, he was Director General of the Information Department and Spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry (1991-1994), deputy chief at China’s embassy in Belgium and its mission to the European Community in Brussels (1989-90) and Counselor at China’s mission to the United Nations in New York (1985-89).

From 2003-2007, Ambassador Wu served as President of International Bureau of Expositions (BIE), making him the first Asian to take up the post.

Ambassador Wu was born in 1939. He graduated from the Department of French at Beijing Foreign Studies University and from 1965 to 1971 interpreted many times for Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai. In 1971, he became a member of China’s first delegation to the United Nations.

He was awarded by French President Jacques Chirac the honor of Knight of the French Legion of Honor in 2003.