Zhang Lizhong, a career diplomat, has been unveiled as China’s new ambassador to Uganda. He succeeds Zheng Zhuqiang, who has been attached to Uganda since 2017.
The 52-year old envoy arrived in Uganda on Thursday to start his tour of duty, the Chinese Embassy in Uganda announced the same day.
“HE Zhang Lizhong, the 18th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Uganda, has arrived in Uganda on June 24, 2021,” the embassy announced on its Twitter account.
Lizhong’s most recent posting was in the Republic of Maldives.
According to his published profile, he was born in January 1969 in Dafeng, Jiangsu Province.
He graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree and has over the years held numerous positions in the diplomatic service, both at home and overseas.
The new envoy to Uganda has previously served as China’s Consulate in San Francisco and in Kolkata. He was also the Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Tibet Autonomous Region, among many other diplomatic postings at home and overseas.
Lizhong takes charge at a time of growing ties between Uganda and China across many fields. By the end of 2017, bilateral trade volumes were estimated at over $820m (sh2.9 trillion).
His predecessor, Zhuqiang, also a career diplomat, leaves behind a legacy of passionate support for diplomatic, commercial, cultural and socio-economic initiatives.
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