Germany’s Ambassador to China Dies Unexpectedly

The German ambassador to China, Jan Hecker, has died after about two weeks in the post, the German foreign ministry announced Monday. He was 54.

“It is with deep sadness and dismay that we learned of the sudden death of the German Ambassador to China,” the ministry said in a statement published on the website of Germany’s embassy in China. “Our thoughts are with his family and the people who were close to him.”

The ministry did not provide details on the cause or time of death.

Hecker, also a foreign policy adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, arrived in Beijing with his family on Aug. 1 and submitted his diplomatic credentials on Aug. 24, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

Hecker’s last public appearance was on Friday when he hosted a cultural event at his residence. He had appeared “happy and all right,” a guest told Reuters.

When asked about the circumstances that led to the death of Hecker, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said during a press conference Monday "We are shocked to learn of the sudden death of Ambassador Jan Hecker, who had been working actively to promote China-Germany relations since assuming his post."

"We mourn and regret his passing and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones," Wang said, "We will provide his family and the German Embassy in China with as much convenience as possible to facilitate the handling of follow-up matters."

Merkel said on Monday she was "deeply shocked" by the death of Hecker. "I mourn the loss of my advisor of many years, whom I respected greatly, and who had a deep humanity and outstanding expertise," Merkel was quoted by the German news agency DPA.

Hecker's deputy, Frank Rueckert, will take over his duties, according to DPA.

Before assuming the post in Beijing, Hecker joined Merkel’s chancellery office in 2015 as head of its refugee policy team. In 2017, he led the department of foreign, security and development policy at the chancellery, where he became a confidant of Merkel, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported.

From 2011 to 2015, Hecker worked as a judge on Germany’s Federal Administrative Court. Before that, he was employed at the Interior Ministry. He was born in the northern city of Kiel in 1967 and was married with three children.

The story has been updated to reflect the latest development.

Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

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