First ambassador to ASEAN appointed

China yesterday announced the appointment of a senior woman diplomat as the first ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), signaling the growing importance it attaches to the region.

The ambassador, Xue Hanqin, is a "senior diplomat and expert on international law" who served as ambassador to the Netherlands and permanent representative to the Organization on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a news briefing.

She has also worked as director-general of the ministry's department of treaty and law.