CHANCERIESTHE DIPLOMATIC ATLAS

Embassy of the People's Republic of China

Diplomatic history and full roster

Embassy of the People's Republic of China

3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Pale limestone office wings frame a sequence of faceted ceremonial halls. Square skylight towers rise above the entrance court; behind the western block, a sheltered garden faces Van Ness Street.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed2008documented; Construction commenced in June 2005 and the architect dates completion to 2008. The new chancery hosted a National Day reception on 29 September 2008; the embassy’s building tour dates formal use to 1 April 2009.
  1. pei-architects.com
  2. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  3. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
Site-use agreement19 October 2001documented; The 2003 agreement and 2009 amended preambles identify the ICC Property Agreement of 19 October 2001. This is acquisition of USE, not fee-simple ownership. The original 2001 instrument was not separately retrieved.
  1. 2009-2017.state.gov
  2. 2009-2017.state.gov
NeighborhoodNorth Cleveland Parkverified; 3505 International Place NW lies within the International Chancery Center west of Connecticut Avenue, in North Cleveland Park. The adjoining Singapore, Israel, and UAE chancery sites are also in North Cleveland Park.
  1. anc3f.dc.gov
  2. app.proxi.co
ArchitectPei Partnership Architects with I. M. Peidocumented
  1. pei-architects.com
  2. www.fmsp.com
Rooms285–770 est.estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this office, ceremonial and parking property, assume 30%–50% of the recorded 429,480 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 280–450 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the recorded building area; the interior has not been independently measured. Estimated room range.
  1. pei-architects.com
  2. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
Floor area429,500 sq ftverified; PEI Architects reports 429,480 sq ft / 39,900 m²; the embassy independently reports 39,900 m². CAMA gives no usable floor area for the building.
  1. pei-architects.com
  2. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
Site area116,200 sq ftverified; Parcel total: 2055/0819. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. Replaces rounded conversion of the embassy’s 10,796 m² description with the exact recorded parcel area.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
2026 Value$73.3Mverified; Parcel total: 2055/0819. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. The assessed parcel may be federally owned; this figure does not assert ownership by the occupying mission.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Diplomatic use2008verified; The embassy’s contemporaneous text of Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong’s September 29, 2008 National Day reception remarks explicitly identifies the venue as the new chancery and names senior US officials among its guests. This establishes actual diplomatic use in 2008. Regular use began on 1 April 2009; the reception establishes earlier diplomatic use in 2008.
  1. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  2. us.china-embassy.gov.cn

Complete property record

Chinese Ambassador’s Residence

2301 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

A red-brick house by Frost & Granger, built in 1905 for banker William Mearns. Three slate-clad dormers overlook a raised entrance and a curved red canopy on S Street.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed1905documented; National Register district nomination credits Frost & Granger (1905), for William Mearns. DC CAMA AYB=1900 is a conflicting assessor field, not used as the architectural date.
  1. planning.dc.gov
Acquired by ChinaDate not verifiedunverified; The 2026 tax record establishes PRC ownership but has no deed/sale date. The 1973 memorandum lists proposed houses; it does not establish a completed purchase.
  1. history.state.gov
  2. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
NeighborhoodSheridan-Kaloramadocumented
  1. planning.dc.gov
ArchitectFrost & Grangerdocumented
  1. planning.dc.gov
Rooms16verified; Current DC residential CAMA ROOMS for the identified dwelling; this assessor count is distinct from bedrooms, bathrooms or the number of modeled room studies.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Floor area12,000 sq ftverified; Recorded DC CAMA building area; preserve the source field and building scope.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Site area22,300 sq ftverified; Parcel total: 2518/0034. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
2026 Value$9.3Mverified; Parcel total: 2518/0034. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Diplomatic use1974verified; Ford Presidential Library documents a December 4, 1974 luncheon at Ambassador Huang Chen’s residence, 2301 S Street. The board memorandum on PDF p. 65 is dated in context by the October 2, 1974 letter on p. 66 and January 17, 1975 retrospective on p. 67. This establishes actual use in 1974 without treating the 1973 purchase proposal as occupancy.
  1. www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov

Complete property record

Historic Moments

A promise of freer movement

1868-07-28

The Burlingame–Seward Treaty affirms migration and closer relations between China and the United States. Its promises soon come under pressure from American campaigns to exclude Chinese workers.

Exclusion laws are repealed

1943-12-17

Wartime cooperation helps bring an end to America’s Chinese exclusion laws. Chinese residents gain access to citizenship, although a small immigration quota preserves severe restrictions on entry.

A presidential opening

1972-02

Richard Nixon’s visit to China and the Shanghai Communiqué opened a path toward rapprochement after decades of estrangement.

Diplomatic relations established

1979-01-01

The United States and the People’s Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations. Embassies followed in March, replacing the liaison offices opened in 1973.

Tiananmen brings a rupture

1989-06-04

Chinese troops suppress the Beijing protest movement, and Washington suspends arms sales and military exchanges. The killings bring human rights to the center of a relationship American leaders also seek to preserve.

China enters the WTO

2001-12-11

China became a World Trade Organization member, an important institutional milestone in its integration into the world trading system.

Chiefs of Mission

DiplomatOfficeRecorded serviceStatus
Xu XueyuanChargé d’affaires2023Former
Qin GangAmbassador2021–2023Former
Li KexinChargé d’affaires2019Former
Wu XiChargé d’affaires2016Former
Wu XiChargé d’affaires2015Former
Cui TiankaiAmbassador2013–2021Former
Deng HongboChargé d’affaires2012Former
Xie FengChargé d’affaires2010Former
Zhang YesuiAmbassador2010–2013Former
Zheng ZeguangChargé d’affaires2007Former
Zhou WenzhongAmbassador2005–2010Former
Yang JiechiAmbassador2001–2005Former
Li ZhaoxingAmbassador1998–2001Former
Li DaoyuAmbassador1993–1998Former
Zhu QizhenAmbassador1989–1993Former
Han XuAmbassador1985–1989Former
Zhang WenjinAmbassador1983–1985Former
Lin ZhaonanChargé d’affaires1982–1983Former
Chai ZeminAmbassador1979–1982Former
Han Xu (Han Hsu)Chief of Liaison Office1978Former
Chai ZeminChief of Liaison Office1978–1979Former
Huang ZhenChief of Liaison Office1973–1977Former
James C. H. ShenAmbassador1971–1978Former
Chow Shu-KaiAmbassador1965–1971Former
Tingfu F. TsiangAmbassador1962–1965Former
George Kung-Chao YehAmbassador1958–1961Former
Hollington K. TongAmbassador1956–1958Former
Wellington KooAmbassador1946–1956Former
Wei Tao-MingAmbassador1942–1946Former
Hu ShihAmbassador1938–1942Former
Chengting T. WangAmbassador1937–1938Former
Alfred SzeAmbassador1935–1937Former
Alfred SzeMinister1933–1935Former
W. W. YenMinister1932–1933Former
Yung KwaiChargé d’affaires1931Former
Hawkling YenChargé d’affaires1931Former
Chao-Chu WuMinister1929–1931Former
Alfred SzeMinister1921–1928Former
Wellington KooMinister1915–1920Former
Kai Fu ShahMinister1914–1915Former
Chang Yin TangMinister1909–1913Former
Wu TingfangMinister1908–1909Former
Liang ChengMinister1903–1907Former
Shen TungChargé d’affaires1902–1903Former
Wu TingfangMinister1897–1902Former
Yang YuMinister1893–1897Former
Tsui Kwo YinMinister1889–1893Former
Zhang Yinhuan (Chang Yen Hoon)Minister1886–1889Former
Xu ShoupengChargé d’affaires1882Former
Zheng Zaoru (Cheng Tsao Ju)Minister1881–1886Former
Chen LanbinMinister1878–1881Former
Xie FengAmbassador2023–PresentCurrent