Chinese government department
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
is the first-ranked
executive department
of the
State Council of the People's Republic of China
, responsible for the country's
foreign relations
. It is led by the
minister of foreign affairs
, currently
Wang Yi
, who serves as the nation's principal representative abroad.
[1]
The ministry is headquartered in
Chaoyang District
,
Beijing
, the country's primary diplomatic quarter.
The MFA's primary functions include formulating
foreign policy
, administering the nation's
diplomatic missions
, representing Chinese interests at the
United Nations
, negotiating foreign treaties and agreements, and advising the State Council on foreign affairs. The Ministry is subordinate to the
Central Foreign Affairs Commission
, which decides on policy-making and led by
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
. Foreign policies concerning the
Republic of China
fall under the jurisdiction of the
Taiwan Affairs Office
. As of 2024
[update]
, the ministry maintains the largest
diplomatic network
in the world, with 274 diplomatic posts.
History
[
edit
]
Qing dynasty and Republican China
[
edit
]
China's first foreign ministry was founded on 11 March 1861 as the
Office in Charge of Affairs Concerning All Nations
in the
Qing dynasty
. After the
1911 Revolution
established the
Republic of China
, the Zongli Yamen was succeeded by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the
Beiyang
and
Nationalist governments
before the agency was transplanted to the former
Japanese colony
of Taiwan in 1949 where the Republic of China exists today.
[
citation needed
]
Early People's Republic
[
edit
]
Before the
proclamation of the People's Republic of China
, the
Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) handled foreign relations through its Foreign Affairs Group, established on 1 May 1947.
The Foreign Affairs Group was abolished on 30 September 1949, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Central People's Government
was established on 1 October 1949, the day of the PRC's proclamation.
Zhou Enlai
, also appointed as premier, became the first foreign minister of the PRC.
The ministry was formally inaugurated by Zhou on 8 November 1949.
The Ministry initially had 170 staff, a number which increased to nearly 2,000 by 1960.
Of the 17 ambassadors appointed abroad between October 1949 and 1952, twelve were senior military officials, nine were survivors of the Long March and only three had previously been abroad.
Additionally, the new Ministry did not recruit former diplomats from the
Kuomintang
that opted to stay in the PRC, instead creating a new diplomatic corps entirely.
The MFA of the PRC was established in September 1954, after the first meeting of the
National People's Congress
, and became a department of the
State Council
. The Ministry's importance to China's foreign policy apparatus has increased and decreased over time.
[8]
: 24
In 1956, as China's diplomat engagement increased, a West Asian and African Affairs was established; previously Western European and African affairs were handled by the same department.
During this period, Zhou oversaw the professionalization and formalization of the Ministry, including establishing standard operating procedures on areas such as the Ministry's official responsibilities and training guidelines.
The Ministry was hit by the
Anti-Rightist Campaign
, launched by
Mao Zedong
in 1957 after the
Hundred Flowers Campaign
, with its quota for finding "rightists" being around 5 percent. On 11 February 1958,
Chen Yi
succeeded Zhou as foreign minister.
Cultural Revolution
[
edit
]
The Ministry personnel initially paid little attention to the
Cultural Revolution
when it was launched in 1966, launching a few political study sessions.
However, the movement gradually caught the Ministry's attention and after Mao received a letter from a member of the
Communist Party of Austria
complaining about the conduct and extravagance of Chinese diplomats in the country, he instructed Chen, writing, "[R]evolutionize or there will be danger".
This prompted Chen to instruct reforms to diplomatic protocols, and diplomatic mission abroad were required to promote
Mao Zedong Thought
, wear
Mao suits
and
Chairman Mao badges
and intensify political study sessions.
The rebels within the Ministry established the "Foreign Ministry Revolutionary Rebel Station" later in 1966 and stated their intention to overthrow the CCP committee in the Ministry.
The Ministry started recalling personnel overseas back into Beijing in 1967 to take part in the Cultural Revolution, causing immense strains in China's diplomatic corps.
The rebel groups attempted to take in the Ministry in August 1967, paralyzing the Ministry's Political Department for two weeks.
Many of China's diplomats were sent to
May Seventh cadre schools
after their establishment in 1968 until their disestablishment in 1971.
After Mao decided to restore order in the country in late 1968, Zhou started to plan bringing back normality to the Ministry,
and some diplomats started to return abroad in late 1969.
The Ministry-affiliated Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs was also re-activated.
[17]
: 36
By 1971, with the admission of the PRC into the United Nations, the country's diplomacy began to normalize.
However, the Ministry was increasingly factionalized, especially between the "Lord Qiao", associates of
Qiao Guanhua
, and "young girl", referring to Mao's close associates
Wang Hairong
and
Tang Wensheng
, factions.
Chen Yi died on 6 January 1972, and was succeeded by
Ji Pengfei
as foreign minister.
Deng era
[
edit
]
After
Mao's death
and the fall of the
Gang of Four
in 1976, Qiao was purged and succeeded by
Huang Hua
.
After
Deng Xiaoping
's rise to power, diplomatic missions abroad were instructed to focus on
Four Modernizations
campaign.
In 1982,
Hu Yaobang
, then
leader of the CCP
, called a meeting with senior diplomats to demand the "rectification" of the Ministry, focusing on making it less ideological.
The Ministry was also reformed to improve professionalism and efficiency; the number of vice ministers was reduced from ten to six in 1982, and diplomats below the rank of vice minister were automatically retired after they older than the age of sixty since 1983. Professional diplomats were preferred over and increasingly replaced the old military veterans. Wages were also reformed, rewarding those with higher ranks and boosting incomes of diplomats abroad.
Wage and bureaucratic reforms continued during the 1990s, with many diplomatic missions cutting staff and starting to employ locals. Job descriptions were also clarified, and the promotion system standardized.
21st century
[
edit
]
As China's engagement with the world increased, the ministry established the Department of External Security Affairs in 2004, with its function being protecting citizens abroad.
It furthermore established the Center for Consular Protection in 2007.
China's rising stature also meant that the ministry worked together and sometimes competed with other institutions while conducting diplomacy, including the
Ministry of Commerce
, the
Ministry of Public Security
, and various
state-owned enterprises
.
The Ministry's significance in China's foreign policy establishment has increased since 2009 and it has a higher profile both domestically and internationally.
[8]
: 7
From 2011 to 2018, its diplomatic budget doubled.
[8]
: 7?8
The Ministry has become increasingly visible to foreign audiences since the proliferation of its Twitter accounts and its diplomats' increased social media activity since 2019.
[8]
: 8
While previously China's embassies were subject to influence by various ministries, after 2019 reforms, the Ministry has veto power over financial and personnel decisions at Chinese embassies.
[8]
: 104
In October 2022, it was reported that the MFA asked
consular missions in Hong Kong
about their floor plans, lease details, and staff residences, and also asked to inspect new premises before staff enter them.
[27]
In September 2023, the
United States Department of State
accused the MFA of
information laundering
by using a fictitious opinion
columnist
named "Yi Fan" to present state narratives as "organic sentiment".
[28]
[29]
[30]
Organization
[
edit
]
The ministry is headed by the
minister of foreign affairs
, who is appointed by the National People's Congress or its
Standing Committee
after a nomination by the
premier
.
[31]
The ministry leads the work of
diplomatic missions of China
abroad,
[32]
the largest in the world as of 2024
[update]
with 274 diplomatic posts.
[33]
More specifically, it includes 173 embassies, 91 consulates, 8 permanent missions and 2 other representations.
[33]
Departments
[
edit
]
The ministry consists of 29 individual offices, including departments responsible for specific regions, policy areas, as well as administration of the Ministry itself. Each office is headed by a director-general with at least two deputy directors-general. The offices are:
[34]
[35]
- The General Office (?公?): Circulates communications within the Ministry, manages
information technology systems
, and coordinates with foreign parties in response to crises.
- The Department of Policy Planning (政策??司): Responsible for research, analysis, and policy formulation related to international affairs. Writes speeches and other major foreign policy documents. Conducts work relevant to Chinese diplomatic history.
- The Department of Asian Affairs
(?洲司)
- The Department of West Asian and North African Affairs (西?北非司)
- The Department of African Affairs (非洲司)
- The Department of European-Central Asian Affairs (??司)
- The Department of European Affairs (?洲司)
- The Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs (北美大洋洲司)
- The Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs (拉丁美洲司)
- The Department of International Organizations and Conferences (??司)
- The Department of International Economic Affairs (????司)
- The Department of Arms Control (?控司)
- The Department of Treaty and Law (??法律司)
- The Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs (?界?海洋事?司)
- The Information Department (新?司): Manages press relations and public presentation of Chinese foreign policy. Headed by spokeswoman
Hua Chunying
.
[36]
[37]
- The Protocol Department (??司): Handles matters related to
protocol
in diplomatic events and ceremonies.
- The Department of Consular Affairs (?事司)
- The Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs (港澳台司)
- The Department of Translation and Interpretation (??司): Manages and provides training for interpretation and translation work in
English
,
Spanish
,
French
, and
Portuguese
at international events and for state diplomatic events and documents. Regional departments are responsible for general translation and interpretation work within their respective regions.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs Management (外事管理司): Drafts and oversees regulations related to foreign affairs for sub-national entities such as local governments, state-owned enterprises, and other bodies of the State Council.
- The Department of External Security Affairs (涉外安全事?司)
- The Department of Personnel (干部司)
- The Bureau for Retired Personnel (?退休干部局)
- The Administrative Department (行政司): Oversees planning, construction, real estate, valuable assets (antiques and artifacts), housing, infrastructure, and overall management in overseas missions.
- The Department of Finance (??司)
- The Department for Diplomatic Missions Abroad (?外工作局) and the Department for Party-related Affairs (机?委??):
one institution with two names
- Office of Leading Group for Conducting Inspections in the Foreign Ministry (外交部巡?工作??小??公室): Overseas disciplinary investigations and policy in accordance with
Chinese Communist Party
regulations.
- The Bureau of Archives (?案?)
- The Department of Services for Foreign Ministry Home and Overseas Offices (服?局): Oversees logistics for diplomatic missions abroad.
The ministry maintains Commissioner Offices in the special administrative regions (SAR) of
Hong Kong
and
Macau
, which handle the foreign affairs of the SARs.
[38]
[39]
The ministry also operates the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) for "people-to-people" diplomatic activities,
[40]
and jointly administers the
China Foreign Affairs University
together with the
Ministry of Education
.
[41]
The ministry is also involved in the
foreign aid
process through administering humanitarian assistance China provides.
[42]
: 73
Personnel
[
edit
]
The ministry has over 5,000 diplomats and support personnel as of at least 2024.
[8]
: 104
From its outset, the ministry has required that its diplomats operate in pairs, although enforcement of the rule has varied over time.
Inside embassies and consulates, CCP branch organizations monitor the behavior of diplomats.
Ministry personnel are typically graduates of well-regarded Beijing and Shanghai universities, mostly
Peking University
,
Tsinghua University
,
China Foreign Affairs University
, and
Beijing Foreign Studies University
.
[8]
: 78
Political loyalty remains the ministry's most important criterion in selecting recruits.
Following the passage of the People's Republic of China Diplomatic Missions in Foreign Countries Act, the minimum age for diplomats posted overseas was raised from 18 to 23.
[8]
: 108?109
Headquarters
[
edit
]
In 1966, the ministry moved its headquarters to a set of buildings in the Dongjiaomin Lane, East of the
Forbidden City
, after an earthquake damaged the old building.
The ministry got its current headquarters in 1997, which is located in
Chaoyang District
,
Beijing
, the country's primary diplomatic quarter.
[45]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
"The Minister"
.
www.fmprc.gov.cn
. Retrieved
2020-12-02
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Loh, Dylan M.H. (2024).
China's Rising Foreign Ministry: Practices and Representations of Assertive Diplomacy
.
Stanford University Press
.
ISBN
9781503638204
.
- ^
Minami, Kazushi (2024).
People's Diplomacy: How Americans and Chinese Transformed US-China Relations during the Cold War
. Ithaca, NY:
Cornell University Press
.
ISBN
9781501774157
.
- ^
Standard, The.
"China demands foreign diplomats provide floor plans of Hong Kong missions: FT"
.
The Standard
. Retrieved
2022-10-04
.
- ^
"How the People's Republic of China Seeks to Reshape the Global Information Environment"
.
United States Department of State
. September 28, 2023
. Retrieved
2023-09-29
.
PRC officials sometimes attribute relevant content to specific authors under false names, likely to conceal the PRC's role in producing it and falsely purporting to represent legitimate, organic sentiment in a given region. In addition, PRC officials are known in some cases to attribute such manufactured commentaries to "international affairs commentators" and then use other individual, non-official accounts to promote these commentaries. As one example, the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) uses a manufactured persona named Yi Fan, often credited as a "Beijing-based international affairs commentator," to deceptively promote pro-Beijing views on a wide variety of topics and regions.
- ^
Myers, Steven Lee (2023-09-28).
"China Uses 'Deceptive' Methods to Sow Disinformation, U.S. Says"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2023-09-29
.
- ^
Willemyns, Alex (September 28, 2023).
"US diplomat: 'We're in an undeclared information war'
"
.
Radio Free Asia
. Retrieved
2023-09-29
.
- ^
"Constitution of the People's Republic of China"
.
National People's Congress
. Retrieved
2022-08-08
.
- ^
"The Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China"
.
Xinhua News Agency
. 28 June 2023
. Retrieved
6 July
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"Global Diplomacy Index ? Country Rank"
.
Lowy Institute
. Retrieved
26 February
2024
.
- ^
"Home > The Ministry > Departments"
.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
.
Archived
from the original on 8 March 2020
. Retrieved
3 March
2020
.
- ^
??机?
[Organizational Structure].
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
(in Chinese).
Archived
from the original on 4 March 2020
. Retrieved
3 March
2020
.
- ^
Cockerell, Isobel (2022-03-25).
"British homegrown conspiracies get Beijing's stamp of approval"
.
Coda Media
. Retrieved
2022-08-10
.
- ^
Carter, Cindy (2022-03-26).
"COVID Conspiracies, Hashtag Suppression, and a Broadside Aimed at the "Great Translation Movement"
"
.
China Digital Times
. Retrieved
2022-12-24
.
- ^
"Main Functions"
.
Office of the Commissioner (Hong Kong)
. 22 July 2016
. Retrieved
6 July
2023
.
- ^
"Main Functions of the Commissioner's Office"
.
Office of the Commissioner (Macau)
. 1 March 2007
. Retrieved
6 July
2023
.
- ^
Bigey, Rene (2023-05-11).
"France's "influence diplomacy" under CCP influence"
(PDF)
.
Sinopsis
. Retrieved
2023-05-22
.
- ^
"王毅出席外交?院第四?董事?首次?????式"
[Wang Yi Attends the First Meeting and Signing Ceremony of the Fourth Board of Directors of China Foreign Affairs University].
State Council of the People's Republic of China
. 7 January 2014
. Retrieved
6 July
2023
.
- ^
Chen, Muyang (2024).
The Latecomer's Rise: Policy Banks and the Globalization of China's Development Finance
. Ithaca and London:
Cornell University Press
.
ISBN
9781501775857
.
- ^
Home
Archived
2006-10-10 at the
Wayback Machine
. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved on October 27, 2010. "Contact us Address: No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100701
Tel:86-10-65961114
."
Sources
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External links
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