Chinese Ambassador to Brazil announces resignation from post

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – China’s Ambassador to Brazil Yang Wanming on Friday, February 25, announced he will leave the post. The Chinese diplomat served 3 years in the country and, during this time, had a troubled relationship with President Jair Bolsonaro’s family.

On social media, Wanming defined his mission in office as valuable. “Dear friends, my mission as China’s Ambassador to Brazil is coming to an end. The 3 years I spent in this noble country was a valuable experience in my diplomatic career, an opportunity for which I feel deeply honored and proud.”

The relationship between Brazil and China has been tumultuous throughout the Bolsonaro administration. The Planalto asked the country, in March and in November 2020, to replace Ambassador Wanming. China ignored the requests and maintained the diplomat in the post.

The requests were made in secret. China has not provided a formal reply, but it advised the Foreign Ministry that Yang Wanming had a good reputation in the Asian country.

The government’s requests came after conflict between the embassy and the president’s son and federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro in 2020. The deputy blamed China for the pandemic. The virus that causes Covid-19 was detected for the 1st time on Chinese territory.

Yang Wanming protested at the time. The Chinese Embassy published a note describing Eduardo’s statements as unacceptable and citing “negative consequences” for Brazilians in recurring cases.

In November that same year there was new tension caused by Eduardo Bolsonaro’s comments. The deputy associated the 5G internet technology equipment manufactured by the Asian country with “China’s espionage.”

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