Selçuk Ünal, Turkey’s Ambassador to The Hague, was appointed Ambassador to Beijing in July. He began his duties on August 1, 2025, by presenting his credentials to Hong Lei, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. So who is Selçuk Ünal?
He completed his primary, middle, and high school education at T.E.D. Ankara College. He graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of International Relations.
Who is Ambassador Selçuk Ünal to Beijing?
He began his career as a Probationary Professional Officer at the Personnel Directorate in 1992.
In 1993, he served as a Probationary Professional Officer at the Western Europe Directorate. After completing his military service in 1994, he served as Attaché in the Western European Department until 1995, then as Third Secretary at the Embassy in Doha (Qatar) in 1995, Second Secretary at the Embassy in Dublin (Ireland) in 2000, Chief Clerk at the Embassy in Iraq, in 2002, Minister at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, in 2006, Director at the Office of the Special Advisor to the Minister, and in 2008, (New York), and Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as Ambassador-Deputy Director General at the Directorate General for Information and Spokesperson for the Ministry, and between 2012 and 2014, he served as Ambassador-Special Advisor to the Minister at the Office of the Special Advisor to the Minister.
From September 2014 to December 2018, he served as Ambassador to Ottawa (Canada).
From 2019 to 2022, he served as Director General for Syria (Bilateral Political Relations).
Selçuk Ünal’s last assignment before China was as Ambassador to the Netherlands from 2023 to 2025. He began his assignment in China in August 2025.
Selçuk Ünal is married with one child and speaks English and French.
We wish our new ambassador in Beijing success in his new role and believe he will make positive contributions to the development of Turkish-Chinese relations.
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