Lu Shaye, the former Chinese ambassador to France who stoked a series of high-profile controversies during a half-decade in Paris, has been appointed as Beijing’s special representative for European Affairs.
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European Union authorities were recently notified of Lu’s appointment, marking a swift return to the political scene for an envoy who left France in December, several sources confirmed.
Lu succeeds Wu Hongbo, who became the first holder of the office in 2019.
Wu was dispatched to Europe on several occasions after Beijing’s zero-Covid policy ended in 2022, often when ties became especially fraught.
The experienced diplomat frequently clashed with EU counterparts over China’s relations with Russia and Western accusations of industrial overcapacity.
Lu’s five-plus years in Paris, meanwhile, were characterised by an abrasive style and very public fallouts with the French government and authorities elsewhere in Europe.