A remarkable diplomat, Wu Jianmin has performed research in the fields of culture, history and Chinese international politics. After studying languages at the Beijing Institute in 1959, he started his career at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as an interpreter. He then joined the secretariat within the Chinese permanent mission to the United Nations before becoming counsellor for the mission. Between 1989 and 1990, he was counsellor for the political mission and Head of Mission at the Chinese embassy in Belgium. Appointed Chinese Ambassador to France between 1998 and 2003, he returned toChina to become Chairman of the Univesrity of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Committee for Political Foreign Affairs in China.