Liu Guangyuan, commisisoner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, gives a briefing on the spirit and essence of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to Hong Kong-based diplomats and businesspeople on Oct 28, 2022. Liu has been appointed deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR. (ANDY CHONG/CHINA DAILY) 

The State Council has appointed Liu Guangyuan as deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, replacing Chen Dong.

Liu has been commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR since 2021. He said when assuming office that year his primary focus would be on guarding against external interference in the HKSAR’s affairs, and resolutely defending the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

Born in Henan province, Liu joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986. He is a veteran expert in African affairs and had worked in the Chinese embassies in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya.

He had also served as deputy consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, the United States; minister of the Chinese embassy in the US; and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Poland.

Liu led two separate delegations of Hong Kong-based consuls general and business leaders to explore opportunities in mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Grreater Bay Area, and Henan and Shaanxi provinces in March and June. 

The Liaison Office, led by Director Zheng Yanxiong, has four other deputy directors — Lu Xinning, Luo Yonggang, He Jing and Yin Zonghua, with Wang Songmiao serving as secretary-general.