{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["china-03ffed95887259"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/yang-jiechi-e168c32006/","countrySlug":"china","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/yang-jiechi-e168c32006/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Yang Jiechi began in the foreign ministry’s translation and interpretation department and developed a long American specialization. He held junior and counseling posts at the Washington embassy in the 1980s and returned as minister in the 1990s. After serving as assistant and vice foreign minister, he became ambassador in 2001.","Within weeks of his arrival, the collision between an American reconnaissance aircraft and a Chinese fighter produced a crisis over the U.S. crew detained on Hainan. Secretary of State Colin Powell sent a letter to Vice Premier Qian Qichen through Yang. Yang left Washington in 2005 and served as foreign minister from 2007 to 2013."],"id":"china:yang jiechi","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-e168c32006f7fa886aaf.html","name":"Yang Jiechi","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["yang-mfa"],["yang-mfa","yang-ep3"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-e168c32006f7fa886aaf.html","relatedEvents":[{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"China","date":"2001-12-11","description":"China became a World Trade Organization member, an important institutional milestone in its integration into the world trading system.","id":"2001-wto","note":"Yang Jiechi’s posting began in February 2001. Li Zhaoxing’s January departure precedes accession and is excluded.","sourceUrls":["https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/china_e.htm"],"title":"China enters the WTO","url":"China.html#history-2001-wto"}],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"68249a9613045fd6","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"","id":"yang-mfa","locator":"Career chronology","publisher":"Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China","title":"Yang Jiechi","type":"official-biography","url":"https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng./zy/wjrw/3606_665551/202405/t20240531_11367607.html"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2001-10-10","id":"yang-ep3","locator":"CRS p. 4, note 15","publisher":"Congressional Research Service, republished by EveryCRSReport","title":"China-U.S. Aircraft Collision Incident of April 2001: Assessments and Policy Implications","type":"scholarship","url":"https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30946.html"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"Accessed 22 October 2026","id":"mission-390cc301ced3a9d1b02a","locator":"Month-level tenure chronology; liaison directors distinguished from ambassadors.","publisher":"","title":"Official list of Chinese representatives","type":"Mission record","url":"https://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/zmgx/lrzmds/201206/t20120622_4910403.htm"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"Accessed 22 October 2026","id":"mission-31bc14a47b2031c0b6fd","locator":"Accession date.","publisher":"","title":"WTO: China member profile","type":"Mission record","url":"https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/china_e.htm"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2026-10-26","id":"mission-0d67afec1359e1f0d972","locator":"Separates government representation, U.S. recognition, and the 1979 change in diplomatic relations.","publisher":"","title":"Office of the Historian: recognition and relations with China","type":"Mission record","url":"https://history.state.gov/countries/china"}],"topics":["Crisis diplomacy","Hainan aircraft incident","Foreign ministers"]},"schemaVersion":1}