Huan Xiang was born in November 1910 in Zunyi, Guizhou Province and died in February 1989. He served as Assistant Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China between April 1964 and August 1978 and Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (vice-ministerial level) between September 1978 and July 1980. He was involved in the CPC underground activities from the winter of 1945 to early 1949 and worked as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Wenweipo in Shanghai and Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Group and Editor-in-Chief of Jinbu Ribao (formerly known as Takungpao)in Tianjin. He became Deputy Secretary General of the Preparatory office for the CPPCC and Director of its Information Division (January to November 1949). Huan joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the founding of the People's Republic and served as Director General of the Department of European Affairs from November 1949 to October 1954, Permanent Chargé d'Affaires in the United Kingdom from October 1954 to June 1962, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General of the Research Office from July 1962 to June 1966, Chinese Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Community from January 1976 to September 1978. Later he worked in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences as Party Secretary, Vice President, and advisor from October 1978 to July 1986. In July 1982, he became Vice President of the China Law Society, and served as Director General and Secretary of the Leading Party Group of the Centre for International Studies of the State Council since August 1986. He also held the posts of President of the China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, President of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, and Honorary Chairman of World Economic News. He was a member of the First CPPCC National Committee, and was elected Deputy to the 12th National Party Congress in June 1982, Deputy to the Sixth National People's Congress and member of its Standing Committee in June 1983.