Fan Zuokai

Fan Zuokai (; November 2, 1918 – October 1, 2004) was a Chinese diplomat and politician who served as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and as ambassador to Somalia, Mali, and Iran. Before entering the diplomatic service, he worked in regional administration and Party affairs in central and eastern China.

Biography

Fan was born in Yingcheng, Hubei, in November 1918. He joined anti-Japanese guerrilla activities in central Hubei in 1937 and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party the following year. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he participated in the establishment of local resistance forces and successively held positions including organization committee member and secretary of local Party committees in Yingcheng and surrounding areas.

During the Chinese Civil War, Fan continued Party work in East China. Following the Zhongyuan Breakout in 1946, he was transferred to Shanghai for underground work and later served in positions related to united front affairs and organizational administration under the East China Bureau.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Fan held a series of administrative positions in Xiaogan, Wuhan, and Hubei, including commissioner, Party secretary, vice mayor of Wuhan, and secretary-general of the provincial committee. Beginning in the 1960s, Fan entered diplomatic service. He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Somalia from 1970 to 1975 and Ambassador to Mali from 1975 to 1978.

From 1978 to 1987, Fan served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China as a member of the ministry's Party leadership group and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. Between 1983 and 1986, he concurrently served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

After leaving government service in 1987, Fan became chairman of the Diaoyutai Economic Development Company. Beginning in 1991, he served as vice president and adviser to the China International Public Relations Association. Fan died in Beijing on October 1, 2004, at the age of 85.