Cui Tiankai

His Excellency
Cui Tiankai
His Excellency Cui Tiankai
崔天凯
	Cui Tiankai at the 23rd Session of the U.S. China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade press conference, 2012
Chinese Ambassador to the United States
	In office; April 15, 2013 – June 23, 2021
Preceded by	Zhang Yesui
Succeeded by	Qin Gang
Chinese Ambassador to Japan
	In office; October 9, 2007 – January 26, 2009
Preceded by	Wang Yi
Succeeded by	Cheng Yonghua
Personal details
Born	October 1952 (age 69); Shanghai, China
Political party	Communist Party of China
Residence	Embassy of China, Washington, D.C., U.S (April 2013 - June 2021)
Alma mater	East China Normal University; Beijing Foreign Studies University; Johns Hopkins University

Cui Tiankai (Chinese: 崔天凯; pinyin: Cuī Tiānkǎi; born October 1952) is a Chinese diplomat and longest-serving Chinese Ambassador to the United States, a role he filled from April 2013^[1] to June 2021.

Early life and education[]

In 1952, Cui was born in Shanghai, China. He is a native of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China.^[2]

Cui went to Shanghai Foreign Language School and graduated from the School of Foreign Languages of East China Normal University. Following his graduation from East China Normal University, Cui studied interpretation at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Career[]

Cui Tiankai with Barack Obama in the Oval Office, April 2013

Following his studies in Beijing, Cui traveled with a Chinese delegation to the United Nations to work as an interpreter in the General Assembly. After working in the UN for five years, Cui returned to academia to pursue a postgraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC.^[3]

After graduating from Johns Hopkins University, Cui joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first as a deputy director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences and then spokesmen for the Information Department. In 1997, Cui was appointed Minister Counselor to the United Nations, a position he held until 1999. Cui continued to work with the Ministry throughout the next decade and held notable positions such as Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs, assistant minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador to Japan.^[4]^[5] In 2013, Cui was selected by the 12th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, then appointed by President Xi Jinping as the Ambassador to the United States.^[6] On 22 June 2021, after eight years he announced that he would leave the position.^[7]^[8]

Opinions[]

On March 6, 2013, Cui Tiankai was interviewed by reporters from China Youth Daily when he attended the National People's Congress. "The root cause of all problems in Sino-Japan relationship is whether Japan can accept a powerful and developed China." Cui then said, if Japan can recognize and solve this problem, all other problems can be resolved.^[9]

On October 8, 2013, Cui Tiankai delivered a speech at the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University. He said some Japanese believe that: "During World War II, Japan was only defeated by United States and her atom bombs. Therefore, Japan only needs to get along well with United States while ignoring other nations." "This is a downright incorrect viewpoint." Cui emphasizes that, "Japan was defeated by all the peace-loving people including both Chinese and American people. There will be dire consequences if Japan is misled by incorrect viewpoints about past history."^[10]

In 2012, the case of the blind activist Chen Guangcheng triggered a diplomatic dispute between China and the US. Chen was permitted to study law in mainland China before going to the US for further studies. When Cui saw the shortlist of the universities that the Americans recommended, he roared: "There's no way he's going to East China Normal, I will not share an alma mater with that man!"^[11]

On July 12, 2016, Cui Tiankai spoke at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies following China's rejection of the ruling of an international tribunal arbitration case submit by the Philippines. He asserted that the attempt at arbitration was illegal as it was done without Chinese consent. Cui expressed his hope for future diplomatic resolutions to disputes in the South China Sea, also expressed a wish for further more successful joint developments and activities with other countries.^[12]

References[]

^ "China's ambassador to the US to leave after eight years". theguardian.com. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
^ "Cui Tiankai 崔天凯". chinavitae.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
^ "Biography of the Ambassador — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America". www.china-embassy.org. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
^ "旅日侨胞热烈欢迎崔天凯大使履新" [A warm welcome to overseas Chinese in Japan, Ambassador Cui Tiankai took office]. www.china-embassy.or.jp (in Chinese). 2007-10-09. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
^ "中国驻日本大使崔天凯举行离任招待会" [Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai held Farewell Reception]. www.china-embassy.or.jp (in Chinese). 2009-01-26. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
^ "Xi appoints Cui Tiankai as new ambassador to US". usa.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
^ "中國駐美大使崔天凱宣布離任傳外交部副部長秦剛接任". liberty times net.com. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
^ "China's man in Washington Cui Tiankai heads for home after eight years". South China Morning Post. 2021-06-22. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
^ People's Daily (2013-03-06). "Discussions with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs" (in Chinese). Beijing. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
^ China News (2013-10-09). "Cui Tiankai: Hope Some Japanese Drop Incorrect Viewpoints on History" (in Chinese). Beijing. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
^ Week in China (2014-06-20). "Hillary's China syndrome". Hong Kong. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
^ Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2016-07-12). "China's Response to the South China Sea Arbitration Ruling". Washington, D.C. Retrieved 2016-07-09.

External links[]

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Wang Yi	Chinese Ambassador to Japan 2007–2010	Succeeded by Cheng Yonghua
Preceded by Zhang Yesui	Chinese Ambassador to the United States 2013–2021	Succeeded by Qin Gang

[1] "China's ambassador to the US to leave after eight years". theguardian.com. Retrieved June 22, 2021.

[2] "Cui Tiankai 崔天凯". chinavitae.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.

[3] "Biography of the Ambassador — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America". www.china-embassy.org. Retrieved 2016-04-04.

[4] "旅日侨胞热烈欢迎崔天凯大使履新" [A warm welcome to overseas Chinese in Japan, Ambassador Cui Tiankai took office]. www.china-embassy.or.jp (in Chinese). 2007-10-09. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-05.

[5] "中国驻日本大使崔天凯举行离任招待会" [Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai held Farewell Reception]. www.china-embassy.or.jp (in Chinese). 2009-01-26. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-05.

[6] "Xi appoints Cui Tiankai as new ambassador to US". usa.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2016-04-05.

[7] "中國駐美大使崔天凱宣布離任傳外交部副部長秦剛接任". liberty times net.com. Retrieved June 22, 2021.

[8] "China's man in Washington Cui Tiankai heads for home after eight years". South China Morning Post. 2021-06-22. Retrieved 22 June 2021.

[9] People's Daily (2013-03-06). "Discussions with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs" (in Chinese). Beijing. Retrieved 2013-10-09.

[10] China News (2013-10-09). "Cui Tiankai: Hope Some Japanese Drop Incorrect Viewpoints on History" (in Chinese). Beijing. Retrieved 2013-10-09.

[11] Week in China (2014-06-20). "Hillary's China syndrome". Hong Kong. Retrieved 2014-07-09.

[12] Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2016-07-12). "China's Response to the South China Sea Arbitration Ruling". Washington, D.C. Retrieved 2016-07-09.

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v t China's Ambassadors to the U.S.
Qing ministers to the U.S. 1875–1912	Chen Lanbin 1875–81 1881–85 1885–89 Cui Guoyin 1889–93 Yang Yü 1893–96 Wu Tingfang 1896–1902 Liang Cheng 1902–07 Wu Tingfang 1907–09 1909–11 Alfred Sao-ke Sze 1911–12
ROC's envoys to the U.S. 1912–35	1912–13 1913–15 V. K. Wellington Koo 1915–20 Alfred Sao-ke Sze 1920–29 Wu Chaoshu 1929–31 Yan Huiqing 1931–33 Alfred Sao-ke Sze 1933–35
ROC's ambassadors to the U.S. 1935–79	Alfred Sao-ke Sze 1935–36 Chengting T. Wang 1936–38 Hu Shih 1938–42 Wei Tao-ming 1942–46 Wellington Koo 1946–56 Hollington Tong 1956–58 George Yeh 1958–61 Tsiang Tingfu 1961–65 1965–71 James Shen 1971–79
Chiefs of the PRC Liaison Office in the U.S. 1973–79	Huang Zhen 1973–77 Chai Zemin 1978–79
PRC's ambassadors to the U.S. 1979–present	Chai Zemin 1979–82 Zhang Wenjin 1983–85 Han Xu 1985–89 Zhu Qizhen 1989–93 Li Daoyu 1993–98 Li Zhaoxing 1998–2001 Yang Jiechi 2001–05 Zhou Wenzhong 2005–10 Zhang Yesui 2010–13 Cui Tiankai 2013–21 Qin Gang 2021-present

v t China's Ambassadors to Japan
Qing Empire 1636–1912	1876–1877 1877–1880 Xu Jingcheng 1880–1881 1881–1884 1884–1887 1887 1887–1890 Li Jingfang 1890–1892 1892–1894 1895–1898 Huang Zunxian 1898 1898–1901 1901–1903 1903–1907 1907–1908 Hu Weide 1908–1910 Wang Daxie 1910–1913
Republic of China (Beiyang) 1912–1928	1913 1913–1916 1916 1916–1919 1919–1920 Hu Weide 1920–1922 1922–1923 1925–1926
Republic of China (Nationalist) 1928–1938	1931–1936 Xu Shiying 1936–1938
Republic of China (Collaborationist) 1940–1945	Chu Minyi 1940–1941 Xu Liang 1941–1943 Cai Pei 1943–1945 Lian Yu 1945
Republic of China on Taiwan 1952–1972	Hollington Tong 1952–1956 1956–1959 Chang Li-sheng 1959–1963 Wei Tao-ming 1964–1966 1966–1969 1969–1972
People's Republic of China 1973–present	Chen Chu 1973–76 Fu Hao 1977–82 Song Zhiguang 1982–85 Zhang Shu 1985–83 Yang Zhenya 1988–93 Xu Dunxin 1993–98 Chen Jian 1998–2001 Wu Dawei 2001–04 Wang Yi 2004–07 Cui Tiankai 2007–09 Cheng Yonghua 2010–19 Kong Xuanyou 2019–present