Yao Kuangyi, male, Han nationality, was born in 1940 and is a university graduate.
A Turkish speaker, Yao was second secretary and then first secretary at the Chinese Embassy in Turkey. He returned to China to assume the section chief post at the West Asian and North African Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Yao was later promoted to deputy director-general of the department.
In 1997, he became ambassador to Turkey.