Bio: Yi Xianliang was born in 1963 and received a bachelor's degree from Southwest University of Politics and Law and a master's from China University of Political Science and Law.

His diplomatic career began in 1991 when he joined the Foreign Ministry, and since then he has been the director of the Department of Treaty and Law, a counselor and the director of the External Office of Climate Change Affairs, and is now the deputy director-general of the ministry's Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs. He has also worked twice in the Chinese embassy to the Netherlands and held posts including legal adviser of international law and EU affairs and counselor of political and legal affairs.

A senior diplomat, Yi participated in multilateral and bilateral meetings and negotiations involving affairs of ocean, fishery, polar region, climate change, tobacco control, environment and sustainable development.

Yi is also an expert on international law and has published academic works and textbooks on environmental law and other subjects, as well as more than 50 featured articles on various academic periodicals.