Zhang Kunsheng

Zhang Kunsheng (Chinese: 张昆生; born August 1958) is a former Chinese politician who from 2011 to 2015 served as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2015, Zhang was investigated by the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and expelled from the Communist Party for allegedly[1] violating codes of conduct, making him the most senior diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have been arrested during the anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping. Despite this, Zhang has yet to be formally accused of any crime as of 2020.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.
Zhang Kunsheng
张昆生
Zhang (centre) meets with Héctor Timerman (right) in Argentina, 2011
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
2011 – January 2015
MinisterYang Jiechi
Wang Yi
First Secretary, Embassy of China in Washington, D.C.
In office
1997–2001
Personal details
BornAugust 1958 (age 65)
Kunming, Yunnan
Political partyCommunist Party of China (expelled in 2016)
SpouseXiao Jie
Children1
Alma materPeking University (PhD)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese張昆生
Simplified Chinese张昆生

Life and career

Zhang was born and raised in Kunming, Yunnan, while his ancestral home in Shanxi.[2] He graduated from Peking University in 1995, with a Doctorate in International Politics.[3] He was assigned to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1985.[3] In 1997 he became the First Secretary of Embassy of China in Washington, D.C., a position he held until 2001.[3] During this time, Zhang helped plan the official state visit of Jiang Zemin to the United States of America.[4]

Zhang also served as Counsellor of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China from 2001 to 2003, Counsellor of the General Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2007, and Director-General of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2011.[3] He was promoted to Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2011.[3]

In 2015, Zhang was placed under investigation by the Communist Party's anti-corruption agency for "suspected disciplinary violation."[5][6] The year after, despite lack of concrete evidence, he was expelled from the Communist Party. The accusations levied against Zhang have been questioned by analysts, who suspect the arrest was politically motivated.[4][7] As the most senior diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have been arrested during the anti-corruption campaign, Zhang has yet to be formally accused of any crime by any judicial body.[8]

Personal life

Zhang was married to Xiao Jie (Chinese: 肖杰), a former badminton player of the China national badminton team. Together, they have one daughter.[9]

References
  1. "China Fires Senior Diplomat for Alleged Corruption | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  2. "張昆生：一個昆明人的外交生涯" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2011.
  3. "Zhang Kunsheng". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2011-04-26.
  4. "Senior Chinese diplomat Zhang Kunsheng sacked for corruption: foreign ministry". South China Morning Post. 2015-01-02. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  5. "Zhang Kunsheng investigated for disciplinary violation". China.org. January 2, 2015.
  6. "中国外长助理张昆生被免职 涉嫌违纪接受调查". Reuters.
  7. Keating, Joshua (2015-01-02). "Chinese Presidents Never Show Off Their Human Sides. Why Is Xi?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  8. Panda, Ankit. "Top Chinese Diplomat Falls to Corruption Probe". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  9. "外交部部長助理張昆生妻子：曾是中國羽球隊員" (in Chinese).
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