New Delhi: Popular Islamabad-based Chinese diplomat Lijian Zhao, who became a Twitter sensation with his often-provocative posts, is on his way back to Beijing after a four-year stint.
The exit comes weeks after he had a Twitter spat with former US national security adviser (NSA) and UN ambassador Susan Rice over alleged racism in Washington DC and Beijing’s reported persecution of Uyghur Muslims. Following the argument, Rice tagged the Chinese ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai in a tweet and asked him to “send him (Lijian) home”.
“I completed my four years. But I am leaving Pakistan with a heavy heart because Pakistan has stolen by heart,” he told a private TV news channel in Pakistan before demitting office.
“In the past four years I had the support from different walks of life — media, scholars, my followers on Twitter, students, teachers, officials. We are all working very well and we enjoyed the friendship of each other. That is why we always call Pakistan as our ‘iron brothers’,” he added.
I am leaving Pakistan with a heavy heart, because Pakistan has stolen my heart, and I have to leave now. pic.twitter.com/TyED9swQaL
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) August 9, 2019
Lijian, who was deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, has not yet announced where his next posting will be. However, for now, he will be back in Beijing. Thursday was his last day in Pakistan.
He will be succeeded by Pang Chunxue, who worked in Islamabad from 1998 to 2000 and is a former deputy chief of mission to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
Dear friends, may I introduce to you the new Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counsellor Ms. Pang Chunxue. She worked in Islamabad from 1998 to 2000. She was Chinese DCM to Afghanistan, DCM to Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/1hroeOk3dE
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) August 9, 2019
Also read: Chinese diplomat in Pakistan goes on tweet rampage after ‘Uyghur Muslims fed pork’ reports
A keen CPEC advocate
During his stint in Islamabad, Lijian was instrumental in solidifying Chinese investments in Pakistan, especially promoting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a part of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He also enjoyed a good rapport with all the leading political parties in Pakistan.
In a write-up about Lijian’s departure, Pakistan Observer noted that he was known for his “aggressive defence of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other joint ventures, always speaking high of China-Pakistan friendship and exposing those doing propaganda against it deputy chief of mission”.
Social media was flooded with farewell messages for Lijian as he prepared to leave the country.
Former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman, posted a photo of herself with Lijian on Instagram, stating, “Farewell to @ZhaoLijian!! Islamabad will miss your active twitter diplomacy.”
Lijian’s Twitter spat with Rice — he deleted his controversial tweets after the spat went viral — wasn’t his first with a diplomat.
In January, he got into a verbal duel with former Pakistan ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, who is now a fierce critic of the country’s political and military leadership.
China is now in America’s league. It would be happy its diplomats are standing up to Dr Susan Rice. President Obama wanted her to be Secretary of State but John Kerry wanted the job, so his friends in the Senate blocked her.