China's "Wolf Warrior" Diplomat to Resign

China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, is set to resign after a combative tenure that saw him defend Beijing's policies in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, among other controversies. Liu, who has been a driving force behind China's increasingly assertive diplomatic approach, will be replaced by Zheng Zeguang, a current vice foreign minister who previously served as a senior diplomat in the United States. The development is expected to have significant implications for China-UK relations, which have soured in recent years over issues such as human rights and trade.

Key Takeaways:

• Liu Xiaoming, a 64-year-old veteran diplomat, is resigning as China's ambassador to the United Kingdom after a decade in the position, a tenure marked by controversy and clashes with the UK government over human rights and trade.
• Liu's combative approach, which has been described as a hallmark of China's "wolf warrior" diplomacy, has seen him defend Beijing's policies in Xinjiang, where an estimated 2 million Uyghurs have been detained in "re-education camps".
• Liu has also been a prominent defender of Beijing's recent imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong, which has been widely condemned by Western countries.
• Liu's departure comes as the UK prepares to begin welcoming potentially hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers under a new immigration scheme announced in response to Beijing's actions in the former British colony.
• Liu's replacement, Zheng Zeguang, is a 57-year-old vice foreign minister who has previously served as a senior diplomat in the United States and is seen as a key player in China's diplomacy efforts.
• The UK and China have been engaged in a series of diplomatic spats in recent years, including over trade, security, and human rights issues.
• China had been seen by many as a potential major market for the UK post-Brexit, but recent diplomatic tensions have put this into doubt.
• The UK will have to navigate a significantly changed diplomatic landscape in the aftermath of Brexit, with Beijing unlikely to improve relations in the short term.

Statistics:

• Estimated 2 million Uyghurs detained in "re-education camps" in Xinjiang (Source: CNN)
• 103,000 followers on Twitter for Liu Xiaoming (Source: CNN)
• 57 years old is the age of Liu's replacement, Zheng Zeguang (Source: CNN)
• UK preparing to welcome potentially hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers under new immigration scheme (Source: CNN)
• 64 years old is the age of Liu Xiaoming at the time of his resignation (Source: CNN)
• 60 years old is the legal retirement age for senior Communist Party members (Source: CNN)
• 68 years old is the unofficial retirement age for senior Communist Party members (Source: CNN)

Sources:

• CNN: "China's 'wolf warrior' diplomat to resign as ambassador to UK"
• Tam Yiu-chung: Delegate to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, as quoted by CNN
• South China Morning Post: First reported Liu's plans to resign on Sunday
• China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Did not respond to request for comment
• Global Times: Praise for Liu's comments defending China's policies
• BBC: Interview with Liu Xiaoming defending China's policies in Xinjiang (June 2020)