With great curiosity, people notice that a Chinese-looking woman appears frequently in the UN press conferences. She is Hua Jiang, the deputy spokeswoman of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Her elegant style impresses people deeply. But when she was interviewed, she said modestly that she is a common woman, far from success.
Hua Jiang was born in Changchun, capital city of northeast China’s Jilin Province and spent her childhood there. She was enrolled in the Beijing Language and Culture University as one of the first group who got a chance to go to university through examinations after the “culture revolution” (1966-1976). Then she obtained her master degree in political economics and law at the University of London.
After graduation, Hua Jiang joined the British Broadcast Company (BBC) and worked there for 17 years. She was in charge of the programs broadcast in Chinese as well as the training of reporters and program planning.
When asked how she got her job with the UN, Hua Jiang used a Chinese old saying: good time, advantaged geography and favorable human conditions. In BBC, one of her workmates told her carelessly that Kofi Annan was looking for a spokeswoman, who was required to have a reporter’s background and experience in management. Hua Jiang found herself having these requirements and mailed a resume to the UN. A UN spokesperson interviewed her in London. After awhile, when she thought it would be hopeless, she received a notice for the interview in the UN headquarters in New York. After the tests of writing, performance before camera and group interview, she got the position.
Hua Jiang clearly remembers how she dealt with one of the questions she was asked in the interview. To the question “Are you a Chinese or British?” she answered smartly, “I am a Chinese with a British passport, but I feel I am an international person.”
She fit into the new environment soon where she works with people from different countries, of different races and culture backgrounds, and speaking different languages. But Hua Jiang said Annan was the key for her to choose this job. “He is an earnest man and I admire him,” she said. What she appreciates most is that he is not a politician, but a man who really wants to do something for the world, she said.
Last April, Hua Jiang became the deputy spokeswoman of Annan and also the first UN spokeswoman of Chinese origin. “I will try my best to let no one down, including those in my motherland,” she said.
To switch her job from a reporter to a spokeswoman, the only thing out of Hua Jiang’s thought is her even busier schedule. Having moved to New York for several months, Hua Jiang has not yet find time to enjoy the world culture and art center. When Annan’s spokesman is out of town, Hua Jiang would be on duty and she often works in evenings and weekends.
She reaches her office at 7 a.m. in the morning, surveying newspapers and reports. Then together with her colleagues, she selects important news for a news brief to be presented to Annan and department leaders before 9:30 a.m. After these, she attends meetings of various departments and prepares the contents for the daily press conferences. She said sometimes she can hardly find a minute to answer the phone.
It is also part of Hua Jiang’s work to accompany Annan in business trips. Shortly after her first month with the UN, she made trips with the Secretary-General to Cyprus, Indonesia, East Timor and South Africa.
At press conferences, Hua Jiang is often challenged by unexpected questions. For instance, once at a press conference held at noon, she had prepared to answer questions on the Middle East situation, but was asked repeatedly about the peace problem in Angola. Hua Jiang said one needs to keep close trace with UN activities and world current affairs to deal with this kind of challenge, but the most important is to be honest. When there is anything she is not clear about, she always admits it, and promises to check and give the answer later.
When she worked as a reporter, she traveled to over 50 countries and interviewed many state leaders. So she never feels scared, whatever the challenge is. The only thing she worries about, she says, is that her improper words might bring troubles to the UN.
In an interview with the UN Broadcast last July, Hua Jiang told the reporter not to use the word “success” to refer to her. “I’m a common person, with nothing special,” she said. She added that she does not agree to link one’s success with his or her position or fame. To live a happy life is what she wants, she said.
(China.org.cn by Feng Yikun, February 2, 2003)
