Guest speech: Ambassador of China, H.E. TANG Guoqiang

As a continuation of our (UN) ambassador series and at the occasion of the forthcoming Summer Olympic Games, the IMC Export Department, under the auspices of the Chair for International Law and Global Political Studies, was inviting the Chief of the China’s Mission to the UN Vienna and IAEA, Ambassador TANG Guoqiang for a visit and guest lecture on 28th May 2008. The Ambassador gave an excellent overview on the currents in the China’s Foreign, Security and Energy Policy, as well as the China’s positions in major Vienna-based UN entities (such as IAEA, ODC, UNCITRAL, OOSA, CTBTO, UNIDO, Wassenaar Arrangement, etc.). His presentation was followed by long discussions with students and professors, and by a garden-cocktail reception.

Ambassador TANG’s remarks offered the IMC Export Fellows a unique opportunity to gain insights into the China’s diplomatic initiatives in Asia (APEC and ASEAN), security and energy policy, and overall political and economic dynamics of the country, including the Tibet issue and the forthcoming Beijing Olympic games (including the presentation of official Games mascots).
Answering the students’ questions, H.E. Tang shared the China’s policy views on issues like: China’s policy and presence in Africa/Sudan, 6-party talks history and positions towards the North Korea, Sino-Russian relations (including the first state visit of the new Russian president Medvedev), dual-use technology and non-proliferation Intl regimes, ITER project, humanitarian assistance to Burma and finally China as the studying and working destination.

An exceptionally kind and eloquent top diplomat, Ambassador Tang has joined the respective China’s Foreign Ministry mid ‘970s, and was posted to Geneva (UN), Papua New Guinea, United Kingdom and Hong-Kong. H.E. obtained several important in-house posts among which was the Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Ministry’s Information Department (mid-late ‘990s). The first ambassadorial post was taking H.E. Tang to the Check republic capital of Prague.
Since 2006, Mr. Tang is the Permanent Representative and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the UN and other IOs in Vienna.

Native of Shanghai, H.E. holds the high graduate and post-graduate degrees from prestigious Chinese (Fudan) and British (London School of Economics) universities.

Summing up after the half-day visit to Krems (the Ambassador was accompanied by two mission diplomats, Ms. Wang and Mr. Zhu), content-intensive speech to and talks with fellow students and professors, with Mr. Ernst Fietz , the EXPORT Program Director, and Mr. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, Export Chair and principal host of the event, Ambassador Tang stated that he has been very impressed by our faculty’s interest in the Sino affairs. The Ambassador also complimented the commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated in the questions and discussion with him (including the command of Chinese language of our fellows).
Ambassador finally expressed his willingness to welcome the Export fellows in his Mission as well as to return to our university soon again.


This visit represented the closing event of the summer semester with our next event being scheduled for an early fall semester.
At the occasion of the recent state visit of President Fischer and the Austrian trade delegation to Turkey we will host H.E. Selim YENEL
(to be followed by visits of Indonesian, Ukrainian and Venezuelan ambassadors).
(Baroque Hall, 10.00-11.30).

Photos: Hermann Maglock
Text: Prof. Dr. Anis Bajrektarevic