Zhang Qiyue

Zhang was born in Beijing in October 1959, to Zhang Shu, and Xue Runwu (薛润吾), both diplomats. In 1974, Zhang and four other students were selected and sent to the United States to study English, becoming the first batch of students from the People's Republic of China to study in the United States. Zhang returned to China in 1977 and entered Beijing Foreign Studies University.

After graduation in 1982, Zhang was admitted to the United Nations Interpreter Training Course, and then worked as a simultaneous interpreter at the United Nations headquarters in New York City and the Secretariat of the United Nations Office in Geneva. Zhang joined the foreign service in 1987 and was assigned to the Chinese delegation to the United Nations in 1995.

At the end of 1998, Zhang returned to China and became deputy director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concurrently serving as spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China since 26 January 1999. Zhang was the third spokeswoman since the position was established in the ministry in 1983.

In February 2005, Zhang was appointed as Chinese ambassador to Belgium, taking over from Guan Chengyuan. President Hu Jintao appointed Zhang Chinese ambassador to Indonesia in August 2008, according to the 11th National People's Congress discision.[1] Zhang was director of the Organ Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party in 2011, and held that office until 2014. In July 2014, Zhang was appointed minister-counselor of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. She held the position for only four months; in December she was made consul-general of the People's Republic of China in New York.[2][3][4] In August 2018, Zhang was named Chinese ambassador to Greece, according to the 13th National People's Congress discision, a post she held from 2018 until 2021.[5][6]

Zhang is married to politician Liu Jieyi. The couple has a son.[7]