China’s first non-career envoy to Pakistan Nong Rong assumes office

ISLAMABAD: China has designated first non-career ambassador for Pakistan in more than 40 years as its new ambassador Nong Rong has assumed his assignment in Islamabad and had important meetings with senior top officers including that of the Foreign Office since his arrival.

He has brought a special message of goodwill of his country’s President Xi Jinping for the government and people of his host country that he would deliver to the president here next week when he will be formally submitting his credentials to him.

Ambassador Nong Rong has been dealing in foreign trade and economic affairs in 29-year of his service in China in various capacities. He was never associated with the Chinese Foreign Office but has tremendous skill of negotiating and comprehending trade and economic matters. Nong Rong, 53, belongs to remote southern Chinese autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang which is located near the Vietnam’s border close to the picturesque Beibu Gulf and the whole area is known for its majestic rivers and rich cultural background. Nong Rong was regional minister before his ambassadorial appointment. He was secretary of the prestigious CPC Group, ethnic and religion affairs commission of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and deputy head of the United Front Work department of CPC committee. The diplomatic sources said that Nong Rong would provide much needed push to the historic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plans which is flagship project of its gigantic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), connecting China with the whole world through new highways and routes.