German ambassador to China Jan Hecker suddenly dies just two weeks into the job
German and EU flags flying at half mast at the German embassy in Beijing on September 6, 2021
Having taken up his post as Germany's ambassador to China merely two weeks ago, Jan Hecker unexpectedly passed away today, the foreign office of Germany declared on Monday.
It was not yet known what caused the death.
"It is with deep sadness and dismay that we learned of the sudden death of the German ambassador to China," said Germany's Federal Foreign Office on its website.
During a regular media briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed condolences over Hecker's death.
"We are shocked to learn about the sudden death of AmbassadorHecker, who had been working actively to promote China-Germany relations since assuming his post," he said.
Hecker's family and the embassy will receive assistance from China, he added.
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Last Friday, Hecker hosted an event about German artist Joseph Beuys at his Beijing home. The attendees of the event described him as "happy and all right."
At the German embassy in Beijing, the flags of the European Union and Germany flew at half-mast on Monday.
Reuters reports that Hecker, 54, a foreign policy adviser to Chancellor Angela Merkel, presented his credentials at the Chinese foreign ministry on Aug. 24.
The German embassy reported that Hecker arrived in China on Aug. 1, and that, as with all arrivals, he would have had to spend time in quarantine.
(With inputs from agencies)
