News: Former Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson and information department director-general Lu Kang (陆慷) became North American and Oceanian affairs department head. Former information department deputy director-general Hua Chunying (华春莹) was promoted to replace Lu.
Quick Take: Lu had a lot of experience in North America, especially in the US. Lu previously stationed as a minister in the Chinese embassy in the US from 2012 to 2015. Before that, he was deputy director-general of North American and Oceanian affairs department, and had worked in the Chinese delegation to the United Nations early in his career. Lu’s departure from the information department left the top position to Hua Chunying, who is more senior than the other deputy director-general Geng Shuang (耿爽). Typically, MFA will have three spokespersons; information department deputy director-general Yu Dunhai (于敦海) is expected to sub in shortly.