Edward Youde

Sir Edward Youde GCMG, GCVO, MBE ( born June 19, 1924 in Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales, † December 4, 1986 in Beijing ) was a British diplomat and governor.

Biography

Youde graduated after attending school during the Second World War from 1943 to 1946 his military service in the Royal Navy and then joined in 1947 in the Diplomatic Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Foreign Office ). After the training period he knew 1948-1951 for the first time his service to the embassy in Beijing and lived there on October 1, 1949, the founding of the People 's Republic of China. During his further career, he was employed 1951-1953 at the State Department, then again in the People's Republic of China and later found from 1956 to 1959 using as First Secretary at the Embassy in the United States. After renewed activities from 1960 to 1962 in Beijing from 1962 to 1965 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was 1965-1969 Consul and Chancellor of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations ( UN) in New York City.

In 1971, he then returned to London and was until 1973 head of personnel service and then to 1974, Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Subsequently, he was appointed Ambassador to the People's Republic of China and held that post from 1974-1978. Due to his previous activities at the local embassy, the connoisseur of Chinese culture and the political system of the People's Republic of China proved as an expert during this time after the death of Mao Zedong and the disempowerment of the Gang of Four. During this time, 1977, the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, he was awarded.

After his return he became in 1978 first Deputy Under Secretary and then was between 1980 and 1982 Under-Secretary at the Foreign Ministry. As such, he was known as " Chief Clerk " global responsibility for the entire British Diplomatic Service.

On May 26, 1982, he returned again to China and was the successor of Murray MacLehose new Governor of Hong Kong. He was instrumental in the so-called Sino-British Agreement of 1984 by which the return transfer of the colony to the People's Republic of China was agreed in 1997. In his capacity as Governor, he was also President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong ( Legislative Council of Hong Kong).

After he died on 4 December 1986 at the office, followed by a transitional period by the administrator David Akers - Jones as acting governor on April 27, 1987 David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn as the new governor.