"I'll spare no effort to do my work well"

China's new Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, in an immaculate dark-color, Western-style suit with a red tie, has a tall and well-proportionate figure. He wears a pair of filigreed-framed glasses, smiling... He made his first public debut in a low profile with a gentle, erudite manner right after his appointment as the country's new foreign minister.

As a chief member of the entourage, Yang partook in President Hu Jintao's meeting with visiting Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele Thursday afternoon.

Quiet but dignified, Yang stood behind President Hu Jintao at the Fujian Hall of the magnificent Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing prior to the meeting and, when Hu and Tongan guests were seated, he took the first seat on Hu's left.

The Standing Committee of the Chiense National People's Congress (NPC) appointed Yang Jiechi the foreign minister through voting Thursday morning, and President Hu signed the presidential decree to rectify the appointment. And Xinhua News Agency released this decision immediately afterwards.

Yang, 57, was vice Chinese foreign minister. With a diplomatic career of 32 years, he has accumulated a wealth of experience. After working as the 2nd, 1st secretaries, counselor and minister of the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C., he served as the Chinese ambassador to the Unite States from 2000 to 2004.

An expertise in implementing government polices and high professional competence with modesty and being steady and more sure of himself ¨C This constitutes an impression about him shared by his fellow diplomats. He is fond of reading and often being resourceful; he loves calligraphy and table tennis, note those close to him. With a good command of English, he has often served as an interpreter for top Party and government leaders.

In a Xina. com. cn online communication Thursday afternoon, Fei Shengchao, a deputy division chief of the Department of Translation and Interpretation of the Foreign Ministry, said Yang had left people with "prudence', "meticulousness" with a "sense of humor."

"I'll spare no effort together with my fellow diplomats to perform my diplomatic work well, so as to live up to the expectations of the Party and the people," said Yang in an interview with Xinhua reporters soon after Hu's meeting with the Tongan prime minister.

Profile: Yang Jiechi, China's new foreign minister

Previously vice foreign minister mainly in charge of Latin American affairs and foreign-related affairs involving Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan

Yang Jiechi, male, born in May 1950, a native of Shanghai with a college graduation level

1973-1975: Studying at the London Scholl of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

1975-1983: a section member and 2nd secretary with the Department of Translation and Interpretation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China (PRC);

1983-1987: 2nd and 1st secretary and counselor of the Chinese embassy in the United States of America (USA) in Washington D.C.;

1987-1990: Counsellor and concurrently division chief of the Department of Translation and Interpretation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC;

1990-1993: Counsellor and concurrently division chief and deputy director of the Department of Affairs of North America and Oceania under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

1993-1995: Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the USA;

1995-1998: Assistant Foreign Minister;

1998-2001: Vice Foreign Minister;

2001-2005: Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to USA and;

2005-April 2007: Vice Foreign Minister

By People's Daily Online