Wu Sike

Wu Sike
吴思科
China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue
In office
March 2009 – 5 September 2014
Preceded bySun Bigan
Succeeded byGong Xiaosheng
Chinese Ambassador to Egypt
In office
June 2003 – November 2007
Preceded byLiu Xiaoming
Succeeded byWu Chunhua
Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
In office
April 2000 – August 2003
Preceded byYu Xingzhi
Succeeded byWu Chunhua
Personal details
BornMay 1946 (age 78)
Yingshang, Anhui
SpouseLi Jianhua
Alma materBeijing International Studies University

Wu Sike (born May 1946) is a senior diplomat of the People's Republic of China. He succeeded Sun Bigan in 2009 as China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue, serving in that position until 2014.[1][2] Before assuming the office, he served successively as Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2003 and Ambassador to Egypt from 2003 to 2007.[3] Wu started to learn the Arabic language in 1965, when he was admitted to Beijing International Studies University.[4]

In Wu's role as Special Envoy, he focused primarily on the Middle Eastern peace process. Wu's criticisms of Israel increased as a result of Israel's blockade of Gaza and its raiding of a flotilla carrying aid while the flotilla was in international waters.[5]

Although the focus of the Special Envoy position continued to the peace process, Wu also sought to address the conflict in Syria and a number of other issues in the region.[6] Near the end of his return, Wu remarked, "The stability of Iraq is key to peace and stability of the entire Middle East, as well as that of the world."[6]

References

  1. ^ Ambassador Wu Sike to Succeed Ambassador Sun Bigan as China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China, 2009/03/20. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. ^ China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Ambassador Wu Sike to Visit Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League Headquarters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China, 2013/05/28. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Wu Sike". CRIENGLISH.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  4. ^ PEOPLE/POINTS: New Middle East Envoy, Beijing Review, no. 13, March/April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  5. ^ Murphy, Dawn C. (2022). China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order. Stanford, California. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-5036-3060-4. OCLC 1249712936.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ a b Murphy, Dawn C. (2022). China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order. Stanford, California. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-5036-3060-4. OCLC 1249712936.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)