Yang Wanming (diplomat)

Yang was born in Beijing in March 1964. He studied Spanish at Nanjing University from 1982 to 1986, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently completed a master's degree in economics at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 1989. From 2004 to 2008, he pursued doctoral studies in international politics at the same institution, obtaining a Doctor of Laws degree.^[3]

Yang began his diplomatic career in 1989 in the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serving as attaché and third secretary. From 1993 to 1995, he was posted to the Embassy of China in Argentina as third secretary. After returning to the Ministry, he held a series of positions within the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, including second secretary, deputy division director, and division director.^[4]

From 2001 to 2003, Yang served as counsellor at the Embassy of China in Mexico [zh]. He then spent a year in local government as Deputy Secretary of the CCP Kaili Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Kaili City in Guizhou Province. Between 2004 and 2007, he returned to the Ministry as counsellor and deputy director-general of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs. In 2007, he became Director-General of the department, a role he held until 2012.^[4][5]

Yang subsequently served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Chile from 2012 to 2014, to Argentina from 2014 to 2018, and to Brazil from 2018 to 2022.^[6][7] After returning to China in 2022, he was appointed deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and, concurrently in 2023, deputy director of the Central Hong Kong and Macao Work Office.^[8]

In 2023, Yang became chair and Party Secretary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, where he leads China's efforts in public diplomacy and international friendship exchanges. He is also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and a member of its Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee.^[9]

On December 4, 2018, Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, on behalf of President Mauricio Macri, presented the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Argentina, Yang Wanming, with the Grand Cross of the Liberator at the San Martín Palace. A grand reception was also held for Ambassador Yang and his wife to recognize Ambassador Yang's outstanding contributions to promoting bilateral relations during his tenure.^[10]

In September 2025, Yang received the Friendship Medal awarded by the government of Cuba for his contributions to strengthening bilateral cooperation.^[11]