NAfter the unexpected death of German Ambassador to China Jan Hecker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said Heiko Mars (SPD) has nothing to do with his work. “Given the cause of his death, we have no evidence that Jan Heck’s death has anything to do with his official function as the German ambassador to Beijing,” Maas told the German News Agency during a visit to the German Foreign Ministry on Monday. Brandenburg/Javier Affairs. “This is a huge impact for all of us, and we are completely unprepared.”
The new ambassador to China died unexpectedly shortly after taking office in Beijing. Heck, 54, was a close foreign policy adviser to the prime minister before assuming important diplomatic positions in the Chinese capital. Angela Merkel (CDU). The cause of his death was initially unclear.
The Foreign Minister said: “It is difficult for all of us to understand what happened there. We recently sat down and studied very important issues. One person suddenly became disconnected from life.” “Jan Hecker has achieved a lot and never pursued the limelight. “He emphasized: “In addition, the following applies: even diplomats and his family have the right to privacy and peaceful mourning.” Hecker was born in Keele and married with three children.
Judge of the Federal Administrative Court
Hekel only took over as ambassador in August. After arriving in Beijing, the senior diplomat and his family first experienced the isolation that is common in China due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hekel then surrendered his credentials in Beijing at the end of August and began normal work.
“What a sad and shocking news,” a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official responded to the death of the new ambassador. A representative of a leading German company who just met with him said: “Tragedy. He is such a smart and reserved person. A good listener.”
Before being sent to China, Heck had been the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Security and Development Policy of the Federal Chancellery since 2017, which made him a close friend of the Prime Minister.He accompanied Merkel In their travels.
After working in the Federal Ministry of the Interior from 1999 to 2011, the lawyer and political scientist served as a judge in the Federal Administrative Court from 2011 to 2015.
In 2015, Hecker became the head of the newly established refugee policy coordinator. During the refugee crisis, he was mainly responsible for implementing the Prime Minister’s “we can do it” promise. With this, Hekel moved to the government policy center on Merkel’s side.
Heckel is considered an outstanding climber
He is the first foreign policy adviser to the prime minister who has not experienced a classic diplomatic career, and is considered an outstanding foreign policy climber. Observers believe that after the general election and Merkel’s term, Heckel should ensure the continuity of the difficult relationship with the emerging power China.
The representative of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed his appointment and pointed out that he has a close relationship with the prime minister, who has taken a more cautious stance in the increasingly tense situation between Europe and China. Heck’s former representative and special envoy Frank Rückert is now temporarily serving as ambassador.
