China’s customs chief and trade warrior Yu Jianhua dies aged 63 after sudden illness
Yu, who played a major role in Beijing’s response to Donald Trump’s trade war, had previously led the diplomatic mission at the UN in Geneva
Yu was suddenly taken ill on Tuesday and died despite receiving emergency treatment, the customs office said in a statement.
He had made his last public appearance that same day, according to media reports, meeting senior officials from the northeastern province of Jilin in Beijing.
Yu became head of the General Administration of Customs in April 2022, succeeding Ni Yuefeng.
Before that, he worked for the Ministry of Commerce on and off starting in 2001.
In 2013, he was appointed China’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization, a position he held until February 2017, when he was promoted to commerce vice-minister and deputy representative for international trade negotiations.
In September of that year, Yu met Wilbur Ross, former US commerce secretary, in Washington, according to Beijing Youth Daily.
