MR HU DINGYI
Born in 1921 in Sichuan Province, Mr Hu, a university graduate, began his diplomatic career in 1950. His first overseas appointment (in 1950) was as Third Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.
In 1954, Mr Hu was posted as Third, (later Second) Secretary in the Office of the Chargé d'Affaires in London. After 4 years he returned to Peking for two years in Western European Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1960 he went to Accra, where he worked for six years as Second, (later First) Secretary. The Ghanaian government declared him and two other Chinese diplomats "undesirable" in March 1966 and asked them to leave within 48 hours. In 1972 he returned to London, for a seven-year posting, as Cultural and Press Counsellor from April 1973. He then served in the United States, as Consul-General in San Fransisco (1979-83) and as Minister in The Embassy in Washington (1983-84).
Mr Hu's previous appointments in the United States and his retention beyond the normal retiring age of 60, suggest that he is highly regarded in his Foreign Ministry.
Mr Hu is married with a son (studying business management in Canada) and a daughter (a Portuguese specialist in the MFA). His wife, Madame Xie Heng, was Second Secretary in the Embassy during her husband's last posting. They are both unusually open-minded for Chinese diplomats. They share an interest in the theatre, somewhat surprisingly including fringe theatre. On his last posting to London, Mr Hu urged members of the Chinese Embassy to take an active interest in British culture and invited the Great Britain-China Centre to give lectures to them on the Arts in Britain.
Mr Hu has an impressive command of English; his wife's is also excellent.
Far Eastern Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office April 1985
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